


Crossfire

by mocking_words



Series: Romanogers Prompts [5]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-03 23:29:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 38,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5311175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mocking_words/pseuds/mocking_words
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Romanogers AU where Natasha works for Bucky before Steve steps into the picture</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Natasha I

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a short clip I was watching on Facebook, so here you go. Let me know if you want it to be more than just a one-shot.

Natasha sighed as she sifted through the stack of paperwork on her table. It was going to be a long day. It was only eight in the morning and already everyone in the office was going insane over the speculations of the new acquisition. James Buchanan Barnes, the person to whom she was the personal secretary, was the renowned Chief Executive Officer of Barnes Enterprise. He had everything he ever wanted, the money, the property and he was nothing short of a looker. Even so, he decided one afternoon that he had had enough of the corporate world, opting instead to buy a piece of property right outside of New York and maybe get himself a wife and a dog or two. After all, he did have an eye on the girl from accounting, and it certainly wasn't Lilian with the lip piercing.

Natasha was happy that he had finally found something worth more to him than just money, no doubt something he will not be short of once he sells off the company. He was planned to meet with the future buyer today. The phone on her desk rang and she picked it up without looking at the small screen, "Mr Barnes office, how may I help you?"

"Get your behind in my office Natasha." It was James. For whatever reason, he was obviously too lazy to get up to call on her when she was just sitting right outside his door.

"Good morning to you too James," She muttered, rolling her eyes, "What can I do for you?"

"Office." He repeated.

"Yes sir." She grunted in response. Getting up, she didn't even have to walk five steps to reach his office door.

"You hollered?" She smirked.

"It wasn't a holler, I merely phoned you." He said, spinning in his swivel chair. For someone with such a big title, he was as childish as they come when no one else was around, except for Natasha, but she was his secretary. She knew more about him than she ever needed to.

"Steve Rogers is coming over later." He announced.

" _The_ Steve Rogers?" She asked in a bit of shock.

"Yup." He said, swivelling around again.

Natasha sat down in the seat opposing his desk, "You're selling the company off to your biggest rival?"

"You probably wouldn't know this, but Steve and I have been best friends since childhood. Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, best friends since childhood..." he smirked, waving his hands to emphasize his self-promotion of their friendship.

"Now this is a shock. Who knew the two biggest competitors in real estate would be set in an acquisition." She shook her head. "Oh come on now, Steve can be trusted with this." He smiled, "You'll see, he's coming down in a few hours."

* * *

 During lunch, Natasha sat down with Maria Hill, her best friend who worked in Administration, at the cafeteria downstairs.

“You look like shit Nat.” Maria commented, biting into her sandwich. Natasha sighed, burying her hands in her face, “Weeks of settling paperwork and things will get to you eventually.”

“That must be tough on you, what with the acquisition happening so soon.”

“Steve Rogers is one of the people James is hoping to sell the company to.” Natasha shrugged, taking a sip of water.

Maria’s eyes widened, “No way, they’re two of the biggest competitors in real estate. Steve Rogers is known for wiping the floor with his rivals, the only one he’s been letting loose is ours.”

“They’re apparently the best of friends as per James.”

“You’re kidding.”

“He told me, and I quote ‘Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, best friends since childhood.’”

“Well this is new.”

“We’re going to be meeting him later to discuss the details.”

There is no way he would pass on an opportunity like this to expand his literal empire.” Maria pursed her lips, “Just make sure you don’t get caught in the crossfire.”

“You make Steve sound like some sort of beast.” Natasha said, digging into her spaghetti.

“He might as well be, with the way he takes out the competition. He’s apparently as strict with his employees as they go.”

“Don’t be silly Maria, you’ve never even met the man.” Natasha replied, shaking her head, “Crap, I’ve got to run. I’ll tell you how it goes later!” She said, grabbing her bag and running towards the elevators.

“See you!” Maria smiled. Her friend was never that trusting with others, but she was never the type to judge a book by its cover.

* * *

 Natasha rushed into the meeting room with five minutes to spare. Pulling out the folders from her bag, she quickly set them out on to the table.

“You’re still the same aren’t you Buck?”

She paused as she heard voices that must have been Steve Rogers’.

“You’ve changed; I used to be bigger than you.” James laughed.

Natasha smoothed down her skirt as the double doors opened.

“There you are, I’ve been looking for you.” James smiled. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes; she had already left a note on her table stating that if he needed her, she would be in the cafeteria.

“This is going to be your new employer Natasha,” he said, giving her a mischievous grin. Natasha smiled politely at the tall man who stood beside James, extending her hand to him, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr Rogers.”

“The pleasure is mine.” He smiled, shaking her hand firmly. Natasha would be lying if she said he was not attractive because he most definitely was. Steve had sandy blonde hair that she wanted to run her fingers through and gorgeous blue eyes that would put a clear summer’s day to shame. Resisting the urge to continue staring at him, she let go and looked away.

“Alright, let’s get down to business shall we?” James grinned as the rest of their respective posses’ filed into the meeting room.

* * *

“So, we’ll be implementing this process in regards with the new acquisition…”

Natasha zoned out as one of James’s lawyers spoke about legal affairs. She crossed her legs and snuck a glance at her watch. It was already a quarter past four. Sighing for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day, she stared blankly at the page in front of her. The words seemed to blur into a single mess the longer she stared. There wasn’t much she could do at all, on her left was one of James’s lawyers, and on her right was her future employer, sitting right at the head of the table. James sat at the opposite end and for some reason; she was wedged between Steve and the lawyer. It was hardly a good position to be in when she couldn’t resist sneaking a glance at Steve every now and then who was fiddling with a pen in his hands.

Shaking her leg, she cursed herself for wearing the most uncomfortable pair of heels she owned. She didn’t expect it to hurt this bad. It looked good yes, but it was far from screaming the words _COMFORT_. Natasha didn’t even notice that her shoe was coming loose until it fell off.

Right near Steve’s foot.

She grunted her dismay to herself and wondered if it was worth trying to reach. It was clearly too far away. Sometimes she hated the fact that she was only 5’3. If only she had longer legs… Inching a little bit closer, she tried to be subtle about it but then decided not to risk interrupting the meeting to retrieve her missing shoe. When she looked up, she noticed Steve staring at the shoe that was next to his foot and then at her bare foot. She tried to mask the shocked expression on her face when he noticed who the shoe belonged to. Natasha bit her lip as she heard the lawyer continue to talk when Steve did the most unannounced thing ever. He dropped his pen. On purpose. Getting up with the façade to pick up his pen, he got down.

Her eyes widened when he picked up her shoe alongside the pen. He looked at her, an eyebrow quirked. Sliding the shoe back onto her foot without as much as batting an eyelash, he straightened up and fixed his coat button before sitting down again, “My apologies. Please, continue.”

Needless to say, Natasha couldn’t look him in the eye for the rest of the meeting.

 


	2. Steve I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your lovely comments, I'm so glad that you all enjoy it! I don't know how far I'm going to get with this story, but hopefully, this chapter will live up to your expectations.

Steve Rogers believed in a lot of things, and one of them was to always be a gentleman. His mother, Sarah, had taught him a lot of things since he was a child that would've been swallowed by the ever evolving future. Holding the door open for others, pulling out a chair for a lady, going for Sunday mass, he was educated in all of it. So it was no surprise that he acted out of instinct when he noticed a lone shoe next to his foot. Natasha Romanoff was nothing short of your typical beauty, yet there was something different about her. She was a secretary, yes, and it wasn't as if she loathed the job, or at least Steve didn't think so, but he was sure she could do more than just being Bucky's walking planner. He was not one to pry, he had been taught better than to mind another's business. There was just something about her which intrigued him; maybe it was her lovely green eyes which reminded him of a forest in spring, or maybe it was her luscious curls, a vibrant red that resembled burning embers. It might even have been the way her eyebrows crease when she's focusing on something. What it was, he didn't know, but it made him want to get to know her.

Three hours later, Steve was sure his bum would be flat from sitting down for too long. Even with a reputation of being an employer accepting nothing but the best work, he struggled to keep his attention trained on the speaker in the front.

"So, do we have a deal Stevie?" Bucky spoke up from his seat at the opposite head of the table. "Of course Buck. I came here with the sole intention of expanding my empire." Steve chuckled. Bucky grinned, "Excellent. I'm leaving my baby in your hands Rogers, don't fuck it up."

Bucky's sudden use of vulgar language brought a chorus of uncomfortable coughs throughout the room.

"I won't screw up. My lawyers will send the papers over by next week." Steve returned the smile. His mother would be rolling in her grave if Steve had used a not-so-polite word. Everyone filed out of the meeting room as soon as the meeting was over, breathing an audible sigh of relief.

"Let's go celebrate." Bucky said, but it wasn't to Steve; it was to Natasha.

"You're laughing now, but I'm the one who has to book all your schedules for this sale." She muttered.

"Lighten up; I'll miss you, but definitely not grouchy mcgrouch." He chuckled as Steve stood by the lift, watching as the numbers on the screen began to climb up to the 25th floor. Natasha muttered something which Steve didn't hear and Bucky chided his response, "Oh don't give me that, you're welcome to pop by at my new place anytime, regardless of sleeping hours."

Steve concluded that Natasha and Bucky must've been good friends, best of pals even. As he entered the elevator, he saw Bucky put his arm around her shoulder and couldn't help but wonder if they were together.

* * *

"Mr Rogers, Mr Barnes is on the line for you."

Several days after Bucky signed over the company to him, he was neck-deep in work having to review the profiles of all the staff from his company and Bucky's. But Steve didn't have the heart to lay off anyone. They likely have families to feed, and Steve didn't want them living on the streets or anything. Manhattan was a concrete jungle, and only those at the top of the food chain really had any power.

"Put him on." Steve replied, gripping the phone in one hand and running his fingers through his short blonde hair with the other.

"Rogers! How's work?"

Steve could practically hear the smirk in Bucky's voice. Sighing, he sat down in his chair, "I'm not going to lie, it’s absolute hell."

"Nobody said being number one would be easy. Think of it this way, you’ve officially taken out the competition."

Steve glanced out at the glittering New York skyline outside his window, "Oh come on Buck. You know the only reason I got into this business in the first place was because of you."

"The success you've gained is all yours Steve. Now that I've bagged a couple of billion dollars, I'm free to spend the remainder of my youth." Bucky laughed at the opposite end of the line.

"You're barely past your thirties."

"And you've got a stick up your arse.”

"Hilarious."

“Always looking to please,” Bucky laughed.

Steve smiled to himself, “You’re the same as always, always carefree and joking around.”

“And you’re as uptight as ever. Look, I’ve got to go. I’ve got this box of pizza screaming my name, and proving that chivalry is not dead, I can’t ignore a damsel in distress.”

“I wish you the best of luck with that. Bye.” Steve rolled his eyes with a smile.

He looked at his watch, it was half past ten. These last few days, he had spent it in Bucky’s, technically _his_ second office, which was located a good fifteen minute drive from his current headquarters.

He wasn’t completely sure whether he would be able to finish the stack of papers that seemed to continue to pile up the longer he took to sort them out, but he decided to call it a day. Picking up his coat, he made his way out of the office only to notice Natasha still sitting by her desk, typing away.

He knocked on the door frame to catch her attention, “Hey.”

She turned around and gave him a smile, “Evening, Mr Rogers.”

“Please, call me Steve.” He shrugged, smiling back, “What are you doing here this late?”

“Oh, I just needed to finish settling the last of James’s things. I’ve e-mailed the schedule to you.” She nodded.

“Thank you.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. “You should be going home, it’s dark out and I’d hate to have you stay here all alone this late.”

She looked at her watch, “Oh, you're right. I should be on my way then.”

“Uh…”

_Were they on a first name basis now?_

“You can call me Natasha.” She replied, as if reading his mind, smirking at him as she packed her things, “I’ll get out of your hair now, _Steve_.”

“Hey, Natasha, I don’t mind giving you a lift back, if… if you want.” He said, feeling a little bit flustered.

“You don’t have to sound so nervous, I promise I don’t bite.” She gave him that half smirk that she wore so well, “But thank you, I’m just hoping this isn’t some sort of elaborate plot to find out where I live.”

He laughed as they made their way towards the elevator, “No worries, I’m not an axe murderer if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Good, otherwise it will be front page on the Wall Street Journal tomorrow morning.”

“And the headlines would read what?”

“Biggest player in New York’s real estate business turns out to be an axe murderer.” She motioned with her hands as she spoke.

“Very funny,” he laughed, getting into the elevator.

“I try.” She grinned.

He felt silly but it was good to have someone to laugh with. He didn’t exactly have one too many friends because of his title, but Bucky had always been there for him. It was the only reason he still kept playing in the field, because he still had something to prove. He still wanted to prove to Bucky that he’d be fine by himself.

* * *

“Nice car you’ve got there.” Natasha said, running her hand across the front of the car, “I wouldn’t peg you as the kind who drove Range Rovers.”

“I’m not exactly the sports car kind of guy.” He admitted, “What’s the use of a sports car in New York anyway, it’s not as if you can get anywhere with this traffic.”

“That is… very true.” She said as Steve opened the door for her. He got in and slammed the door shut before turning on the ignition.

“Thank you for offering to drive me home.” She smiled sincerely.

He returned her smile with one of his own, “There’s no need to thank me. It’s the least I could do for you. The only reason you’re still stuck in the office is because of me.”

“I wouldn’t say that. Its business after all…” She said, looking at him honestly.

Steve decided there and then that his resolve would involve getting to know who Natasha Romanoff really was.


	3. Natasha II

The first time somebody had offered to drive her home, it was by one of her ex-colleagues, before she had started working with James. As expected, it had ended with Natasha slamming the door in his face because he was a sleazy douchebag only looking to get into her bed. That was the first and last time she had decided to count on someone to take her home. But this time, she had invited Steve into her apartment, a modest place situated near the office. It had been a shabby old place when she first moved in, but now it was a warm and familiar place where she took shelter from the harsh New York life. She had even painted the walls herself with a shade of grey she favoured most.

“Come on in,” she gestured, “Sorry for the mess.”

To be honest, she was not the neatest person but neither was she a pack rat. There were empty cups lying around on the coffee table, and an abandoned sweater on the floor, but that was as far as it went.

“If you call this a mess, you should see my place.” Steve chuckled, “It’s a basic pig sty.”

Natasha pulled off her coat, and dropped it on the sofa, “It’s not hard to believe; you’re the CEO of a big company, housekeeping must be the last thing on your mind.”

“I do have a housekeeper, but she only drops by once a week on Fridays to clean up my mess.” He confessed, sitting down.

Natasha made her way towards the kitchen and reached up to open the cabinet, “Well I’m sure you can afford it. Would you like some coffee?”

“Sure. No-”

“You like your coffee black right?” She said, flashing him a smile as she opened the can of coffee powder. He seemed to have a quizzical look on his face, but she just shook her head, “I _am_ your secretary Mr Rogers, in case you have forgotten.”

“That’s not something I’d forget.”

“It’s a good sign, it means I’m not about to get fired.” She smirked.

“I wouldn’t have the heart to fire you.”

Natasha handed him the cup, a small smile on her face as she sat down next to him, “People lie and thoughts change.”

While she counted herself as a strong woman, she would never admit to being cheated on by her last boyfriend. It was easier to get by on your own, without having to worry about anything else. All she had to do was to take care of herself; everything else could come later.

“That sounds like an awful hard way to live your life.”

“It’s a good way not to die though.” She smiled, looking at him. Her gaze flickered over his expression. His blue eyes were focused on her, as if wondering what to say.

The moment was interrupted by the sound of a ringing phone. But unlike those cliché movies, it wasn't his; it was hers.  
Natasha reached for the phone sitting in her bag. It was James.

"Hello?"

"Nat! I'm coming over!"

"Now? What for?" She glanced at Steve, who was tapping away at his phone. 

"Because I miss you of course!" He said with a sad tone in his voice.

She could already imagine the puppy face he was pulling. It was not the first time he tried that with her.

"You're ridiculous. I last saw you..." She trailed off, trying to remember when she did last see him. Steve had been her boss for awhile now, almost three months; so it might have been at least four since she last saw him.

"Natasha, I've got to go." Steve mouthed, realizing she was on the phone.

"Alright." She said without thinking.

"Are you with someone?" James questioned through the phone.

"Yeah.."

"Let me talk to him."

"With your impure motives in mind? I don't think so."

Steve chuckled at her choice of words, and she shrugged, "He's a pain in the ass," mouthing the words at him. Steve extended his hand, gesturing for her to pass him the phone.

She didn't think he even knew who he was, but passed him the phone anyway.

"You listen here..." She could hear James saying, trying hard to hold back a chuckle.

"Bucky??"

"Steve??"

"Why are you with Nat?? Is this the start of some scandal between the boss and the secretary?!?"

Natasha face-palmed but Steve just fired back, "Says the playboy, shall I reminisce about the times in college?"

“Can it Rogers! You win."

Steve smirked triumphantly and Natasha laughed, "I'm leaving already, so you're free to come over."

Steve passed the phone back to her and stood up, pulling on his coat. He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "I'll see you on Monday."

Natasha looked at him, slightly flustered but managed to maintain her composure, "Bye."

"What is going on? Nat! You better not be doing indecent things with my best friend you hear me?" 

She sighed before picking up the phone again, "Calm down Barnes, he just offered to send me home from the office and he came in for a coffee.”

“There’s something fishy going on between you two.” He grunted, clearly displeased that he wasn’t in on the non-existent secret.

“I’m going to bed, I still have to work tomorrow, so don’t come over.” Natasha sighed, looking at her watch; it was already half past twelve.

“Fine, only because you have work tomorrow. Goodnight.”

“Night,” She said, hanging up. Natasha was lying if she said she didn’t think that James could sometimes be a hassle to deal with. His working style as compared to with Steve’s was completely different. _That_ she had noticed when Steve first stepped into the office. 

Where James emitted a friendly aura, willing to speak to you if you had any problems, even if it was something as small as having to go home early for that day, Steve radiated authority. He wasn’t cold, but you just sort of knew to steer clear of him when he was angry, especially when he was stressed. He had a kind of silent fury that made him even more intimidating, clearly drawing the line towards the fact that he was the one in charge.

She supposed that he didn’t have a reputation for being the kindest boss anyway, it was only expected that he run the company with an iron fist as compared to James. It was not something that she let get to her though, while he was sometimes more difficult compared to James, he did take care of his employees. Everyone went home before a certain time, and if they worked overtime, they were paid what they were due.

It was the dream of every employee, something that was often out of reach; but Steve had promised that much and he hadn’t failed to deliver.

She admired that about him, he did his work so diligently and efficiently without giving anyone else any extra work if he didn't have to. Natasha would like to think that they worked well together; she did her best to organize his schedule and he did his best to make sure no surprises popped up.

He really was somebody to admire.

As she looked out the familiar New York skyline from her window, she couldn't help but wonder more about Steve. He was mysterious but at the same time he could be read like an open book. It was an intriguing feeling, where you want to know more about a person. What were their likes and dislikes? What did they think about the world? 

But at the same time, Steve was a wonderful guy, she just didn't know if she liked him in  _that_ way. Natasha shrugged off the thought, she didn't have time to be distracted by Steve, she had an entire world to see, and an entire life to live. Why waste such precious time thinking about whether or not she fancied a guy? Especially someone who was in fact, was her boss. 

She drew the curtains to a close, deciding not to dwell on something that was probably just a kind gesture.


	4. Steve II

Saturdays were a rare day off for Steve. It wasn't that he disliked his work; it was something he placed great effort into, especially now that he had twice as big a company to run. When he did have a day off though, which meant absolutely no thinking about work and stressing about a business deal, he preferred to stay enclosed in the comforts of his home; a penthouse in the heart of New York City, bought from one of his companies many developments. The place had a very modern and classy arrangement; a world class interior designer had designed each room, tailored to his specific request of it being clean and simplistic. When his friends came over, they often told him that they had expected hospital bed corners in the guest rooms. They weren't disappointed by his housekeeper's fine skills. Steve usually started his day by going on a run with Sam Wilson, his Chief Financial Officer and one of his closest friends. As they finished up, they rounded the corner to his apartment.

"I've been hearing rumours about you and that secretary of yours Rogers." Sam said as he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Steve used the towel hanging around his neck to wipe off the sweat dripping from his face.

"What have you been hearing?"

"For starters, someone saw you driving her home the other day. Then, you were apparently caught staring at her for a period of five seconds more than necessary. Your fangirls clearly aren't thriving off this news."

"And you'll listen to them?"

"I'm just saying. Someone with a title as big as yours wouldn't have trouble at all creating a scandal in the tabloids. You’ve gotta be careful man, what if she's just playing you?"

"And using me for my money?" Steve smiled, knowing the sentence all too well.

“It's not the first time somebody has tried it. It won't be the last time either; I'm just looking out for you Steve."

"You're a good man Sam, I'll be careful. Don't worry."

Sam sat down on a barstool by the kitchen bar, "She used to work for James am I right?"

"She did, as his personal secretary." Steve nodded, leaning against the fridge.

"And you decided to keep her working under you? What about Poppy? She was nice."

"Poppy had sent in her resignation letter once the acquisition had been confirmed. She'd found out she was pregnant with some guy's kid. Turns out it was Harry's; the CFO of Bucky's company. He found a new job over at Wall Street and Poppy followed him. So that's basically the story of how I didn't have to fire the poor man to keep you here."

"You didn't answer my question about Natasha though."

"Do I have to?"

"Well if you don't we'll all know why you even kept her here."

"You fancy her don't you?" Sam said, raising an eyebrow.

Steve blinked in surprise, "What?"

"No need to be shy about it, we all know you blatantly fancy your secretary."

Did he? Did he really fancy Natasha? She was a lovely person, not to mention beautiful, but she didn't seem like the kind of person who would ever consider dating her boss. From his observation, she didn't enjoy mixing her personal affairs with business. Work was work and everything else was well, everything else. If she did though, he would've imagined she would be with James by now. He was his best friend, but while Steve could not imagine James getting serious about a girl, it was not impossible…

"She's not the kind of person who would mix her personal life with business." Steve answered after a long while.

Sam stood up and made his way towards him, "Are you?"

Steve received a pat on the shoulder as Sam eyed him with an honest look, "Think about it seriously, you've got time."

"I've got to go, I'll see you later man." Sam smiled.

Steve waved, following him to the door and closing it with a sigh.

He didn't even have to think about it. He did fancy her. But to be fairly honest, who wouldn't fall in love with a personality like that? She was feisty and burned with a passion that showed when she spoke about things she loved. It was intoxicating, just thinking about her. She always left him wanting more of her.  
The answer to his question was not one he had; only Natasha had it. If she didn't reciprocate his feelings, there was no helping it. You can't force a person to love you, no matter how hard you try.

* * *

After a long shower, he was towel drying his hair when his phone buzzed with a message.

_Stevie boy call me, I've got a proposition for you._

Steve sighed, what on Earth could he be up to now? Dialling Bucky's number, he waited for him to pick up.

"Rogers! Excellent, this means you're going to listen to me."

"What are you planning this time?"

"Nothing, I'm having a house warming party and you're invited. But..."

"But what?" Steve questioned.

"But you have to bring Natasha. She says she doesn't want to come because everyone else is going to be someone she doesn't know and they’re, and I quote, ' _snobby and rich as hell_ '."

"I can't exactly force her to go." Steve protested.

"But you fancy her don't you? This could be your chance. Steve Rogers, New York's golden boy and Natasha Romanoff-"

"How do you know about that?"

"Aha, so you do fancy her, you're not denying it." Bucky chuckled triumphantly. 

Steve grunted and collapsed onto the sofa with a thud, "Don't even think about teasing me about it."

"Oh don't get your undies in a twist Stevie; we've all had a crush on Natasha."

His eyes widened at the statement, "Even you?"

"Sure, she's a beauty. You're not the first one to fall at her feet. Almost every guy in the office has tried to ask her out and she'd rejected all of them. All two hundred of them and counting. Not to worry though, we're only good friends."

"All two hundred of them?"

"I swear it’s not an exaggeration, we've a list, do you want a copy?"

"No thank you."

Steve wondered, and not for the first time, whether he was digging his own grave this way. He had about _zero_ experience with ladies, and even called them dames; influenced by all the 1940's black and white movies he watched in his past time. He was a busy man, so there wasn't time for things such as leisurely dates, or lazy Sundays in. As a result, the last time he had a serious girlfriend was four years ago, back when he was just starting out and the company wasn't as big.

But what should he do? Just casually ask her out in the office? Or wait until she was off work? Pop by her place unannounced?

He wasn't even sure if he had her number, even though she knew his entire schedule. He wondered if she was even willing to go.

"Who knew things could be so difficult?" Steve muttered to himself. The lack of experience didn't make things any easier either. He was the only one who could move things along though, he might get rejected, but it was a move he was willing to take. After all, he worked in the corporate world, he saw it as an opportunity cost.

"So what do you say Rogers? Are you in? Mr Johnson has been looking forward to working with you."

" _Mr Johnson_?"

He was one of the richest men in New York City and he was a very important client. If they could score him as a shareholder, there was no doubt the business would thrive.

"I can't believe you're playing me like this Buck." Steve groaned, burrowing his face in a pillow.

Bucky sighed, "I'm not playing _you_ , I'm playing  _Cupid_. Let's just get that right."

"Very funny."

"Are you in?"

"Fine. Only for Mr Johnson."

"You're a terrible liar Rogers." Bucky snickered.

"I've heard."

Steve had a very bad feeling about this.


	5. Natasha III

Natasha woke up that Monday morning almost half an hour earlier than she usually did. It was early, but New York rose much earlier than she did. She could already hear the sound of construction workers and cars whizzing past, going about their day. Deciding to pull herself out of bed, she decided to join the rest of the city in catching an early start.

With a toothbrush in her mouth, she went into the kitchen to get the coffee brewing. It was something that Maria had gotten for her last Christmas, and it tasted absolutely amazing; rich and creamy but at the same time not too overwhelming. The perfect blend. She plopped down on the couch, brushing her teeth while scrolling through the emails that she’d received overnight. Steve was already planning to expand the business overseas, so all the recent business emails she received were mostly addressed to him from international clients. Those that were deemed important would be forwarded and those that weren’t would be deleted. He had told her not to bother replying those that weren’t that significant; it was just a waste of time.

She got up and spit out the toothpaste before rinsing her mouth. The brewing coffee was so aromatic she could already smell it. Changing into one of the numerous white dresses she owned, she threw on a black blazer to complete the look and not for the first time; wished that she could just wear a hoodie and sweatpants to work. She grabbed a mug of coffee and sat down to start working on her makeup. It didn't take her too long at all. Looking at her watch, she decided to walk to the office, considering she did have time to kill. Grabbing her bag, she pulled on a pair of stilettos before locking the door behind her.

* * *

“Damn, isn’t she looking fine this morning?” Clint whistled as Natasha walked past his desk, a thick stack of folders in her hands. She rolled her eyes at him, “Well aren’t you a chipper this morning? It’s only half past eight.”

Clint Barton had been her closest friend ever since he tried to hit on her five years ago in a bar in downtown Manhattan. She had rejected his advances; but occasionally they kept it within friendly banter. Natasha was glad to announce that he was now happily engaged to a beautiful lady named Laura. They were even due to be married by the end of the year.

“My lovely Laura has officially turned into a bridezilla, why do I have a feeling that proposing was a terrible idea?” He chuckled, leaning back into his chair and taking a sip of his coffee. Natasha knew that he was only joking; he loved Laura a lot, and it was the happiest he had ever been.

“You’ll have to hold out until your wedding day Barton,” She smirked, “You’ll die once you see her dress.” Natasha and Laura were close friends, and the bride-to-be had asked her to be her maid of honour. It was without a doubt that Natasha had agreed to it without a second thought, she too was excited for their wedding.

“Good morning Mr Rogers.”

She turned at the sound of his name being mentioned. She hadn’t seen Steve since he dropped her off back home, but there was no reason for it to be awkward; work was work, everything else could wait. Natasha couldn’t help but notice him though. He stood a few feet away from her, flipping through a folder that someone had handed to him. He was dressed impeccably as usual, in a dark grey suit, his blonde hair perfectly styled. It was a wonder how he was even still single. Natasha turned back to Clint before he could catch her staring, “I should get back to work, I’ll see you soon.”

“Are you up for a drink at my place after work?” Clint asked. Natasha nodded and he continued, “Great, I’ll come and get you then.”

She dropped the files off at their destination and made her way back to the elevator. There was no choice but to walk past Steve, who looked up as she walked past. Natasha smiled, “Good morning Mr Rogers.”

“Ms Romanoff.” He greeted, his piercing blue eyes gazing straight at her. She went on her way, back to her desk on the top floor. The phone rang just as she sat down and she went ahead with her day, “Good morning, Mr Roger’s office.”

* * *

The remainder of the day passed by without much drama, and it was five minutes to seven when she finished typing and settling Steve’s schedule for the next day. Just as she was about to inform him that she was leaving, he paged for her to enter. She picked up her bag and went into his office, shutting the glass door behind her, “You called?”

Steve nodded, turning away from the view of the New York skyline the large floor to ceiling windows provided him. He seemed to have a knack for those, those picturesque views and extremely large windows.

“Are you going to go for Bucky’s party?”

She raised an eyebrow, “What?”

Why on Earth would he be bringing up this subject _now_? Of all the places he could have chosen to have this conversation, he decided to have it _here_? Where someone could just waltz in and catch wind of their conversation? If there was one thing she didn’t want to be involved in; it was a rumour of her dating her boss.

She _did_ find him attractive, but that was an entirely different matter altogether. Attraction doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to date the man. The mix of chemicals that created the feeling of attraction could wear off, and that’s when the flaws begin to show themselves. She didn’t even know him that well; much less anything about his life. It was possible she didn’t even fancy him all that much.

“I did think about going, but I rejected the offer.” She smiled, fingers twisting the strap from the handbag slung over her shoulder.

“Why?”

“Must there always be a particular reason for everything?”

He leaned back against the chair; fingers linked together, “It depends on how you look at it.”

Natasha sighed, suddenly realizing what was going on, “James talked you into this didn’t he?”

There was no reason why Steve would ever bring this up, especially in the office, besides the fact that James had decided to blackmail him into doing it, “I know that he’s been speaking with Mr Johnson, and it’s going to be a big deal if you manage to snag him.”

Steve’s eyes widened by a fraction, “You knew?”

She shrugged at his question, “It wasn’t hard to piece it all together, he is a very important client after all.”

“Impressive deduction Ms Romanoff, did you manage to figure all that out just by my one question?”

She smirked, “You forget that I basically handle your entire schedule, _I_ set up your meetings. When Mr Johnson’s secretary e-mailed this morning, she mentioned something regarding James, so it was only natural I suspect something like this knowing him.”

“What wasn’t mentioned to you is that Philip Johnson is my uncle.” Steve said, getting up and pulling on his jacket, “Would you like to go out to dinner with me? Assuming that you don’t have any plans.”

Natasha was shocked, but she retained her composure. So what if Mr Johnson was in fact his uncle? The question was why would Steve agree to Bucky’s plan if Mr Johnson was indeed his uncle? It didn’t make sense; why didn’t Steve just ask him directly if he wanted to expand his business? Why go through all the trouble of involving her?

The familiar ringtone coming from her phone broke her out from her thoughts and she picked up as Clint’s name flashed on the screen. She looked at Steve and mouthed the words ‘excuse me’ before turning around and picking up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Nat, I’m sorry but Laura’s caught a bug, so I don’t think it’s the best time for you to come over. We wouldn’t want you getting sick.”

“Oh no, no worries, I’ll drop by another time. Tell Laura I send her my regards.”

“Will do, thanks. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

She hung up and turned back to Steve who was scribbling something down on a notepad, “I’ll join you for dinner.”

“Let’s go then.”

* * *

“You eat _here_?” Natasha asked in disbelief. Steve shrugged as he pulled out her chair for her like a true gentleman.

“I’ll have you know I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth.” Steve chided as he sat down, “Plus the food here is great. I’ll take you to a fancy restaurant next time; I’ve been craving this the entire day.”

Natasha raised an eyebrow. She did _not_ expect this. Steve Rogers, one of the richest men in New York City ate at cheap sushi places. She had expected him to drop by at the Four Season’s hotel for a dinner of grilled lobster tails or something.

After placing their orders, she turned to look at him seriously, “Are you sure you’re single?”

He looked at her and chuckled, “Is that a big surprise?”

She nodded in reply to his question. It was. He was ever the gentleman, opening the car door for her, pulling out her chair. Out of all the guys she’s dated, there was never one who’d done anything like that for her and she wasn’t even dating Steve.

“I’m sorry for calling you out like this.” He said, swishing his can of beer.

She smirked, “You didn’t call me out, I accepted your offer.”

“Are you sure you want to drink that though? It only costs $3.99 a can.” She pointed at his can. He looked at her, “Very funny. I might have the money to spend but when I’m not at fancy dinners with the other big shots I usually sit at home and drink cheap beer with my feet on the coffee table.”

“Isn’t that what we all do?”

“That depends on your definition. I know sleazy people who go sleeping around in their free time, and I know people who go to auctions to buy antique cars. I even know people who just hang around in casinos. It’s just how someone chooses to spend their life.”

“Well I’m guessing that me binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix isn’t a bad thing then?”

He chuckled at her, “It’s not.”

She ran her thumb over the handle of her bag as she leaned back, wondering if she should ask about Mr Johnson. Her curiosity was far from sated.

“I’ve been wondering. Why did you have to go along with Bucky’s plan if Mr Johnson is your uncle? Couldn’t you have asked him directly?”

Steve shook his head, “It’s not that simple. It’s a pretty heavy topic, not something you’d want to hear over dinner.”

“How about after dinner?” She suggested. He studied the labelling on the can, before looking up at her, “Sure.”

Natasha wondered what she had gotten herself into, and if it was even such a good idea to be asking such a personal question. He was still someone she worked with, or rather worked _for_.

“Don’t make such a face. I don’t mind.” Steve said.

Natasha couldn’t help but hesitate, even though she was the one who brought up the topic, “Are you sure it’s okay to be telling me this?”

Steve smiled, “I trust you.”

* * *

“Make yourself at home.” Steve gestured as he tossed his keys into the glass bowl on the kitchen counter. Natasha looked around the place; it was definitely what you would call a bachelor pad. It was minimalism at its finest but of course she noticed the floor to ceiling windows that Steve favoured so much. Black and white with just the bare necessities seemed to be his motto when decorating. The giant screen television seemed to be his only personal touch to the entire room and even then she wasn't so sure.

“Don’t mind how empty it is, I’m barely here.” Steve said, going into the kitchen, “Would you like anything?”

“No thank you.” She said, sitting down on the plush white leather sofa. Steve poured himself a drink and sat down beside her, “Nothing better than good old Bourbon.”

She shrugged, “I’m more of a vodka kind of girl.”

"That's some strong stuff." He raised an eyebrow at her, “Wait. Isn’t Romanoff a Russian name?”

“My parents moved us here when I was 10.” She smiled, “I can still speak Russian if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Well that explains the vodka, why did your parents name you Natasha?” He asked, and she could tell he was already intrigued.

“They didn’t. Natasha is not my given name; it’s a nickname, if you will. My actual name is Natalia.”

“That’s a beautiful name.”

She blushed slightly at his compliment. She rarely told anyone that Natasha wasn’t her real name, but she _wanted_ to tell Steve, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome… Natasha.” He said, looking straight into her eyes. She on the other hand, couldn’t help but notice how blue his eyes were. His hand reached up to push back a lock of stray red hair, and she opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn’t utter a syllable.

His fingers trailed down the back of her neck, pulling her closer. She wrapped an arm around his neck and he kissed her. It wasn’t gentle nor was it innocent. It was filled with lust. Natasha ran her other hand through his hair, tugging on it. He bit her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, granting him access. He was clearly far more experienced than she was; she could tell just by the way he grabbed her by the waist to pull her closer. When she found it in herself to pull apart from him, she was already breathing heavily.

“I have to go.” She said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She was about to pick up her discarded bag when he grabbed her arm, and pulled her back towards him.

“What if I don’t want to let you go?”

 


	6. Steve III

Steve woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming in through the unclosed curtains. But there was someone else in his bed. The familiar red hair was a sight to see in between his white sheets. Yesterday night wasn’t a mistake, they hadn’t done anything wrong. Although, it was not what everyone thought it was.

_“What if I don’t want to let you go?”_

_“Steve, I don’t want to be the secretary who dates her boss.” Natasha said, shaking her head as she pulled her arm away from him._

_“And you’re going to ignore this?” He asked, grabbing her hand. “Can’t you give me just one chance to change your mind?”_

_She kept silent at his question but he could tell she was considering the possibility so he pushed on, “Nobody will find out…”_

_Natasha smiled a small smile, “You’re awfully convincing aren’t you?”_

_He grinned at her response, “Does that mean it’s a yes?”_

_She sighed and nodded slightly, allowing him to pull her into an embrace._

_Steve let a chuckle escape his lips, “Thank you.” It was the first time he’d been so bluntly honest with a woman; but he didn’t want his fears to get in the way of being with her. She was worth more than a couple of butterflies in the pit of his stomach._

_He watched as her eyes wandered over to her phone sitting on the table, lighting up with notifications, mostly emails from work, “Its a quarter past twelve, and we have to work tomorrow.”_

_“Why don’t we just call in sick?” Steve suggested, and she looked at him like he was a child trying to play hooky._

_“You’re not serious. Both of us being absent from work on the same day would definitely stir up some questions.” She said pointedly, “Plus, you’ve got more than one meeting that can’t be rescheduled. Ms Reeves is coming.”_

_“Elena Reeves?”_

_“Her father has taken ill, so she’s coming in his place; to sign the business deal.” Natasha said, picking up her phone and showing him the email._

_Steve raised his eyebrows at her, “That’s the_ only _reason she’s coming?”_

_“She’s got a boyfriend Mr Rogers, and extremely wealthy and handsome one at that. Conner Griffin is the heir to Griffin Enterprise; one of the biggest players in software engineering. He is definitely someone she wouldn’t want to lose. He’s apparently a romantic person too.” She smirked._

_“And just what are you trying to imply Ms Romanoff?” Steve asked, snaking an arm around her._

_“She’s not coming down to the office tomorrow to force you to marry her for your money; she’s got plenty of it.”_

They had come to the agreement where she should stay the night, only because it was late. He was a bit reluctant to get out of bed; the wooden floor cold as he stood up. The digital clock on the bedside table read six in the morning. It was still early, he decided not to wake Natasha up; she looked like a cat nestled in her den and he just didn't have the heart to wake her.

He slipped quietly into the adjoining bathroom to take a shower before heading into his closet to get his work clothes. As he was knotting his tie, he heard Natasha stir; the sheets rustling as she shifted. Steve turned around to greet her, “Good morning.”

“I didn’t hear your alarm go off.” She said as she sat up and stretched.

“I’m more of an early riser anyway. Didn’t want to wake you.”

“It’s almost six thirty, I still have to get home and change.” Natasha yawned. With her ruffled up hair, he thought she looked extremely sexy. She was wearing one of his old t-shirts, a Patriots jersey that was far too big on her and a pair of rolled up shorts his cousin had left behind on one of her many visits here.

She got out of bed and threw the duvet back, “Do you want to drive or am I going to do it?”

“I’ll drive; although I’d like to see you take a shot at driving the R8.” He smirked, pulling out a drawer to retrieve his watch.

“How many cars do even own Mr Rogers? Last time I checked you live in an apartment.” She chuckled, making her way to the walk-in closet where Steve stood.

“My esteemed car collection is nothing short of jaw-dropping. I’ll show you when we drop by L.A next weekend.”

“Does that mean you’re going to attend Holten’s charity gala?”

“Of course I am,” Steve said, reaching out to pull her into a hug, “The Holten’s are important business clients.”

“Then you’d best be off getting a date.” She chuckled, removing herself from his arms to grab her dress and blazer.

Steve shook his head, “I’m not taking anyone else but you Natasha.”

“You can’t take your secretary as your date to such an important event Steve; it’s not going to get you any favours.” She smiled as she pulled on her blazer over the t-shirt.

He understood the concern she had, but he wanted to take her. She was an asset to the company, whether she was aware of it or not. There was a chance she knew much more about all their business deals compared to anyone else.

“Come on, we’ll be late to work.” She said, pulling on her heels.

Steve relented; but followed her out the door. This conversation was far from over.

* * *

The silence on the way to work was not uncomfortable, rather it was nice. He had taken her back to her apartment and waited for her to get ready before the two of them went to the office. As he pulled into the parking lot, he wondered if she would say something along the lines of they shouldn’t be seen together at the office; but she remained silent. He opened the door for her and grabbed her hand after she got out; just gauging her reaction. She merely smiled as they strolled through the empty parking lot.

She looked at her watch, “Congratulations, you’ve never been to work this early.”

He shrugged, a grin plastered on his face, “Being the CEO does have its perks; you’re never the one who’s tardy.”

“You’ve a meeting in ten minutes Mr Rogers, best you be going.” Natasha smiled, looking away, “I’ll see you.”

Steve returned her smile and lifted the hand he was holding to kiss it before leaving. Her grin grew wider and he knew he had succeeded in breaking the barrier she was trying to keep up.

* * *

“Natasha Romanoff, spill the goods.”

She looked up to see a smirking Maria Hill standing in front of her as she sat in the cafeteria during lunch hour. She gestured for her to take a seat before calmly sipping her iced tea, “What goods do I have to spill?”

Maria pulled up a chair and sat down, “I was at that local bakery we like to go to and saw you with someone.”

“He gave me a ride to work.” Natasha shrugged, fiddling with the straw.

Maria leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed, “I didn’t mention _who_ it was.”

Natasha looked up and realized Maria was right, she hadn’t mentioned that she was with Steve, or anyone else for that matter. Maria looked at her with disbelief, “You blatantly fancy our boss don’t you?”

She kept quiet at her friend’s statement; she wasn’t even sure what they were. He hadn’t officially asked her out, so were they a couple? It wouldn’t exactly do him any favours to be dating his secretary. If people in the company found out, it could lead to more than a few hiccups in the business. What would the shareholders think? They were often trying to get Steve to consider their own daughters; it would benefit both parties. But what did she have to offer Steve? He was the CEO of one of the biggest companies in New York, and she was just someone who happened to work for him.

“Earth to Natasha, I asked you a question?” Maria waved her hand in front of her face. “We’re not anything special; he just came over to pick up some documents and offered me a ride to work.” Natasha lied smoothly. She didn’t enjoy lying, but she wouldn’t fail miserably at it if she _had_ to.

“Uh huh… I’m not sure if I believe you, but we’ll find out soon enough. On the other hand, have you seen Kyla?”

Thankfully, Maria dropped the subject and moved on to some gossip she heard around the office. Natasha listened, not really putting her heart into it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Maria for asking such a question; she was her best friend for Pete’s sake. No doubt if Natasha had seen her with a guy she would bombard her with questions all the same; especially if it was a man like Steve Rogers.

She had agreed to give him a chance and to them; whatever this thing was. It had crossed her mind several times that being with him could risk ruining a lot of business deals; so what was she doing agreeing to something as dangerous as this? It wasn’t as if she didn’t like him, they were friends. Would it really be the end of the world if she decided to date him?

_No._

It wouldn’t be the end of the world. Steve was a smart man, diligent in his work and an alpha male at the negotiating table. Surely he knew what he was doing by asking her to give a thought to them? After lunch, she spent some time pondering the questions in her head; twisting and turning them at different angles like she was trying to fix a Rubik’s cube.

“Natasha, I need those emails.”

Steve’s familiar voice rang through and she quickly forwarded the emails beginning to pile up in her inbox. She noticed the crinkle in his eyebrows as he examined the words on the screen before he walked back into his office. She almost smacked herself for being so inefficient. Her head was up in the clouds today and it was all because of her own thoughts. She shouldn’t worry so much; she was making mountains out of molehills.

The day passed by in a blur as she continued to type out letter after boring letter on her computer. By the end of the day, without her realizing, it was already a quarter past seven. There were no doubts that office hours were expected to last from nine to five; but would that ever be the case in a business as big as Steve’s?

She was lucky to be finished by eight in the evening on most days. Natasha peered at her watch once more to confirm the time before remembering today was supposed to be the day of James’s party. Had she agreed to go with Steve? She didn’t remember.

Getting up, she knocked on his door. Steve gestured for her to come in and she leaned against the doorway, waiting for him to finish his conversation on the phone. When he finished, he stood up and shrugged on his jacket, “It was Bucky.”

Natasha rolled her eyes, “I’m guessing you’re late?”

“No, _we’re_ late. You’re coming with me. You already know his grand scheme, no point trying to get out of this one.”

"I'm not even dressed for the occasion." Natasha mused, wondering if it was the best choice to wear six inch heels today.

"Nonsense, you look beautiful. Now come on." Steve said, giving her a peck on the cheek. Nobody else was on their floor, so it wasn't as if anyone would have seen that. But it was still a risk. She wondered how long they could honestly keep this going.


	7. Natasha IV

 “Who throws a housewarming party six months after they’ve actually moved into the house?”

“Me, oh come on Nat, I needed time to adjust to the fact that I don’t have a multi-million dollar business to run now,” James said, and she could hear his grin through the phone.

“And whose brilliant idea was it to even let go of said business?”

“Also me, but that’s a different topic altogether. You’re coming aren’t you?”

“Would I have called you if I wasn’t?” She sighed, James was far more stubborn than she was, and let it be known that she could rival even the most stubborn of mules. She oddly liked the feeling when things went her way and she was relentless when she wanted it to happen.

“Well, the cat’s out of the bag and you know about our little deal, there can only be two reasons why you’re doing this. Number one, you hooked up with Steve, and number two, you’re the number one dedicated employee who couldn’t say no to helping out their boss. In all honesty, I’m one hundred percent rooting for the former.”

She wanted to punch him, “You’re being a sleazebag, as usual, aren’t you James? How would you even know _if_ Steve and I hooked up?”

“I’ve got my spies, and they’re good at what they do.” He replied in a nonchalant tone.

“Oh shut up.” She grumbled, not enjoying the fact that he was putting her on the spot and there was nothing that she could do about it simply because it was _true_.

“I love you too Nat. Look I’ve got to go, I’ll see you soon.”

She ended the call with an irritated sigh, walking a couple of steps behind Steve as they crossed the underground parking lot. It was brightly lit, but it was almost deserted; without even a person in sight.

“I can’t imagine having anyone walking alone down here, especially when it gets late,” Steve said.

She agreed, “It’s a literal ghost town past twelve.”

“I’ll definitely speak to one of the managers about this.”

“I’m assuming we’ll have a vacancy for a Security Head in the papers by tomorrow?” Natasha replied, raising an eyebrow.

“I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my employees while they’re on company grounds, it wouldn’t be right.” He said as he stopped in front of the Range Rover, pulling out his phone from his pocket and dialling a number.

She smiled at his concern, he was taking that one step that others usually didn’t for people he barely knew. Yes, they worked for him, but they had over 300 people in the company, he couldn’t possibly know everyone personally.

He saw her smiling at him, and with his free hand instantly pulled her closer against him. She relished in his warmth in the cold night, pulling her coat around her tighter as she listened to him talk on the phone. Peering at her watch, she realized that they should probably start heading off if they wanted to make it in time because after all; New York traffic was unpredictable.

* * *

They arrived twenty minutes later outside a large mansion that Natasha hadn’t seen before; even so, there was no mistaking who owned the house. Stepping out from the car, she heard the all-too-familiar ping coming from her phone, indicating an email. She began to forward the emails to Steve, not out of concern for work, as much as she'd like to admit, but rather just out of habit. It was a distraction, typing, and forwarding emails. It was one of the things that made her feel in control in a hectic life.

"You're secretly obsessed with that thing aren't you?" Steve asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

"Last time I checked, I was still a secretary. So yes, half my time does involve holding on to this device." She responded without looking up.

"Come on Natasha, let it go," Steve smiled, gently prying the phone from her fingers, "Everyone else's work hours are over; so are yours."

"That hasn't stopped me before," She said pointedly, "But today is the day we'll see James again, so I'll put it away."

Steve handed her back her phone just as the front door swung open, revealing a very casually dressed James.

"Rogers! So glad you could make it." James winked as he stepped aside to let them enter.

"You didn't exactly leave me much of a choice did you?" Steve sighed, a hint of a smile on his face, walking into the grand foyer.

"I did, you just choose to accept my proposition."

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" James teased, closing the door behind him as he set his gaze on Natasha, "Come here you."

She smiled instantly, returning his embrace, the familiar smell of his cologne wafting through her senses.

"I missed your red head sassing me around all day."

"Wonderful," She smiled, giving him a playful jab to the ribs.

"Well, you're a dickhead."

"First of all, I don't have a dick. Secondly, at least it doesn't comprise of 90% of my attitude."

"Oh, you did not go there."

She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed, "As immature as ever I see."

"Come on, I'll show you guys around."

* * *

There were small details all around that reminded her of James’s personality and she began to realize how much she had missed him. The foyer of the house was simple, yet modern, reflecting James’s taste in furniture. The room itself was decorating in varying shades of white and grey, complemented by dark hardwood flooring. There was a large French staircase spiralling upstairs to her right, leading upstairs and a pair of double doors on her left led to the living room. There were voices pouring out from that room; soft music playing in the background.

“I’ll show you to the sitting room,” James grinned, taking a swig of the can of beer in his hand.

They followed him further down the hall and took a right. The sitting room was cosy, with overstuffed couches and beanbags. A large screen TV, of course, hung above the black and white fireplace. Framed pictures decorated the top of the mantel.

“Make yourselves at home, I’ll be right back,” James said before leaving the two of them.

Steve sat down on one of the couches, appraising the place, “Is it just me or does this place just scream Bucky?”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Natasha smiled, picking up a photo frame. She instantly recognized where the picture was taken. It was during one of their many company events, they were both just the slightest bit tipsy and laughing like lunatics. It did indeed bring back many memories.

The next one she saw was a picture that had turned yellow from age, framed up in a simple black frame. It was a picture of two young boys, one holding a ball under his arm; their faces turned upwards in beaming smiles. She turned towards Steve and showed him the picture, “Is this you?”

Steve took a glance at the photo and smiled, “I can’t believe he still has this photo lying around.”

“Tell me about it.”

She realized how little she actually knew about Steve from the past. He was someone that was unknown to her, sure she fancied him; but how much did she really know him? It was one thing to like someone, but it was another to know about them and she believed this was the right way to start. She sat down next to him, and he took the photo from her.

“I met Bucky when I was ten, he just moved in next door one day and I was excited to have someone to play with. When I was a kid, I wasn’t exactly who I am now. I was spending most of my time in bed, suffering from all sorts of illnesses. Being that way, I didn’t have many friends either; they either avoided me or didn’t want to talk to the weak kid. Growing up, when I wasn’t being ignored; I would be getting caught in fights. Scrawny and small didn’t exactly make me bully material, instead, I was the one getting thrown into fences and alleyways; coming back with bruises.”

“But then, one day, Bucky came by and saved my ass. I looked up to him, he was bigger and stronger than I was, dealing with those bullies like it was nothing. From then on, we got closer and we did a lot of stupid things together. He’s still the one I look up to most.”

Listening to his story, she couldn’t help but feel the emotion he was trying to convey, “I’m sure this won’t be the end of your adventure together.” She said, running a hand through his hair.

“He’s the reason I am who I am today.” Steve confessed, shaking his head, “I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without him.”

“You’re wonderful Steve, and I just hope that you know that,” Natasha smiled, placing a kiss on his jaw.

He just took her hand in his and smiled, rubbing circles with his thumb. It was a comfortable silence, there was no pressure to exchange empty talk; just stillness. She liked that.


	8. Steve IV

He didn’t dislike holding meetings; rather he preferred not to be involved in them. Steve knew that it was a crucial part of succeeding in the business; meeting people he didn’t particularly fancy meeting and pretending to be civil, it was all part of the game. As he listened to one of the directors drone on and on about the most boring things he could possibly think of, he let his gaze drift towards the large windows. It was a beautiful day in New York City, much too beautiful for it to be spent locked in a meeting room.

“Thus, I believe that this would be the best course of action. Mr Rogers, what say you?”

He agreed absentmindedly, trying to focus on the matter at hand. It was an important meeting, but his head just wasn’t in it. The lawyer nodded and returned to his speech and left Steve to his thoughts.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he reached for it, glancing at the caller ID.

It was his grandmother.

“Gentlemen, excuse me for a moment,” he said curtly, standing up and exiting the room to answer.

“Hello?”

“Steve,” Renee’s words were clipped and to-the-point, exactly as he remembered. He didn’t have the best of relationships with his grandmother, but he tried to placate her once in a while, “Your father, he’s gone.”

Joseph Rogers was gone. He had been suffering from the early stages of cancer but Steve hadn’t expected him to lose the fight so soon.

“When?” Steve asked quietly.

“This morning, we’re having him buried in England. You’re expected to be there,” she replied. It sounded like her voice was thick with the aftermath of crying but he did not ask, “I will have Patrick send you the details soon.”

She hung up and it felt like time stood still for a moment. He had never been close to his father, Joseph had never been a part of his life really, only Sarah. She had raised him single-handedly while his father was off doing God knows what. Steve could not blame him, though, his mother had not come from a wealthy family but Joseph had fallen in love with her. In fact, his mother had hardly ever told him about her past but he had discovered that they had met while she was working at his favourite café, a small place near the university he was attending for some four years while he was in America.

Renee, who happened to be one of the wealthiest individuals in England at the time, was furious when she had found out, for Joseph was already engaged to a girl of her choosing. Renee’s own husband, Steve’s grandfather, had died young, leaving her a widow at thirty-three. She had never remarried but still kept an iron grip on her four children. Steve had never been properly introduced to his uncles and aunt but he knew of them. They sounded like decent people but he could never be too sure.

His family situation was difficult and he’d never spoken to anyone about it. Not even Bucky knew about it.

It was hard to explain, though, why he felt a prickling sense of regret that he had never had the pleasure of doing father-son things with Joseph. There had never been a father figure in his life; his mother had played both roles. She had brought him up as best as she could and without her, he wouldn’t be standing in a building that he _owned_.

Joseph Rogers was his biological father, the one who had played a role in his creation but he would never be his dad. He was nothing but a name on his birth certificate.

* * *

The letter had arrived not two days after the phone call from his grandmother. He hadn’t told Natasha about it. Perhaps she sensed that something was off but she had not said as much as a word about it. He appreciated that, simply because he wasn’t comfortable with speaking about the situation. He had never been close to his grandmother, if not pretending to humour her occasionally. She had always looked at him with a hint of disdain but she tried to be civil for Joseph's sake. He had met her that one time he had gone to England with his father and she wasted no time in making sure he knew his place. She had made sure that he knew he was the bastard. He even looked more like his mother, inheriting her blonde hair and blue eyes than Joseph. Renee hadn’t liked that fact.

Maybe, if he was more of his father’s son, things might have turned out differently.

* * *

“Are you alright?” Natasha asked, nudging him with a tap of her foot. They were sitting in his apartment, watching some documentary he had turned on as background noise. She was snuggled up against him, seemingly content. But as she turned to look him with those green eyes of hers, he could see the flicker of concern that peppered her expression.

He petted the top of her head, “I’m fine.”

“You’ve been off for the past couple of days, mind telling me what’s up?”

“I haven’t been off,” he protested.

“You missed three appointments yesterday despite me leaving countless notes on your table. I hadn’t been around to shove you out the door, but you _never_ let things like that slide. I had to deal with angry bosses because of you,” she said pointedly.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed quietly, turning to look away from her. He hadn’t been himself since he’d found out about Joseph’s death. It was nagging at him and the feeling refused to leave, no matter how many shots he took or how long he tried, unsuccessfully, to sleep.

“What’s wrong, Steve?” Natasha asked softly, untangling herself from his grasp to sit up straight. She ran a hand through his mussed hair before trailing her fingers down to his cheek.

He met her gaze, “My father died a few days back.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, “Steve… Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to talk about it.”

She pulled her hand away, running her hand through her own hair, “I knew something was off, I should’ve known. I should’ve asked. God, I’m so sorry, what kind of girlfriend am I?”

“Nat, hey,” he said, pulling her back into his arms, burying his nose into the crook of her neck, “It’s not your fault. I’m actually glad you didn’t ask. I wouldn’t have known what to say.”

“Steve…”

"Thank you for caring, okay?" He replied, fingers bringing her chin up so she would look at him, "That's all I ask for."

She didn't say anything, instead, she reached up to kiss him. It was a kiss filled with meaning; it was her telling him that she would be there for him if he needed her to be, it was her doing it because she  _wanted_ to. He could taste the wine on her lips, not that he needed alcohol to feel anything. He was intoxicated by her scent alone. Slanting his lips to meet her kiss, his hands went to her waist, pulling her onto his lap.

"I love you," she breathed, a smile on her face as she kissed him again.

"Likewise Ms Romanoff, likewise," he chuckled.

He loved her, he loved the way she laughed, the way she talked; he loved  _her._ He loved Natasha Romanoff more than he cared to admit out loud and he wanted her to be there. He wanted her to go to the funeral with him, after all, there was no way he would survive meeting his extended family alone. He would never hear the end of the insults, but it wasn't purely the only reason he wanted to bring her. She held herself with this immense confidence, she practically radiated it, and it calmed him down.

She was quick as a whip and twice as smart, he needed her to keep him sane.

He looked at her, those green eyes staring at him as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "The funeral is the day after tomorrow and I'd appreciate it if you would come with me." 

"Steve, I'll be there. I'll be there if you want me to be," she smiled, "I won't ask questions because I respect your decisions. I respect the fact that you have your own reasons and find it hard to talk about your past. I won't say a word because I trust you enough to know that you will tell me about it in your own time; whether that's tomorrow or next week, maybe even next year, I don't care, but I trust you to make that call. Until then, I'll wait."

"God, what did I do to deserve you?" He groaned.

She just smiled and turned her attention back to the screen, pulling his arm around her.

* * *

Lunch rolled around soon enough the next day she was at work. Things were going crazy in the office and the workload was starting to double if not triple in size; just trying to keep up with Steve was hard enough. He was one place one minute and another the next. She should probably start giving up the heels. _That_  certainly brought up a memory. As she paid for her food, she saw the familiar head of black hair waving at her.

"Hey, you, I haven't seen you in a very long time," Maria said, ushering her towards their usual spot in the cafeteria.

Natasha sighed, sitting down and taking a sip of her drink, "God, you have no idea how busy things have been. Ever since Steve took over, it's one thing after another with the clients. Everyone is crazy intrigued with how he managed to buy over James's company, even after this long."

"I saw the stats just now and you wouldn't even begin to  _believe_ how much money we're making," Maria whispered, "We're talking millions of dollars here."

"I'm can't say I'm surprised, everything's picking up smoothly even after the acquisition."

"I bet that has something to do with you spending so much time with him," Maria smirked, "Don't even try to hide it, I saw you guys coming in together the other day."

"Oh God, is there anything you  _don't_ happen to see?" Natasha groaned, "Please don't tell me you've been spreading it around."

Maria put her hands up, "Of course not! But this is some crazy news."

"We're just starting out, nothing's for sure yet."

"He seems like a decent guy with how he treats his employees and all but what's he really like?"

She bit her lip, taking a second to wonder how she could describe Steve.

"He's... sweet, not pretentious. A very nice person, caring. I mean, Steve's just great really. There's just something about him that makes you feel comfortable even though he's a demanding boss. As a person, well, he's just so down-to-earth and he keeps it together so well."

"You're so in love with the guy, Natasha Romanoff," Maria said, a smile that could have rivalled Cheshire's on her face, "Look at the way you talk about him."

She felt her cheeks heat up slightly but before she could respond, Maria gave her a hard nudge and she looked up to see Steve approaching their table.

"S- Mr Rogers," she said, catching herself before she managed to say his name. That would've been inappropriate. The chatter around her was still audible, although lower. Everyone was wondering what their boss was doing in the cafeteria. He hardly spent his lunchtime anywhere but in his office with the occasional trip to the deli down the road. After all, being the CEO meant he had his work cut out for him.

"Hi," he greeted warmly, flashing a smile to Maria who just looked dazed and quickly tried to compose herself, "Mr Rogers."

"Mind if I borrow Natasha for a moment?" He asked.

"No, no of course not, go ahead."

Natasha looked at him, wondering what the hell was going on. What did she do now? 

* * *

 He didn't grab her hand or anything as they left the cafeteria. She didn't expect him to but he had obviously made quite an entrance back there. They stood by the elevators, which were usually empty at this hour; today proved no different.

"Mr Rogers, what's wrong?" She asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"I'm going back to England later this evening."

"Is it for the funeral?" She asked quietly, even though there wasn't anybody around.

"Yes, unfortunately," he said, giving her a half smile, "I won't be back until Thursday at latest."

"Oh."

"You're coming with me remember?"

"Ste-Mr Rogers, I agreed, but I can't just ditch work?" She shrugged, a smile on her face.

"You're honestly worried about _that_?" He chuckled.

"It pays to be responsible. Besides, I have to keep my job, it pays the bills."

"Okay missy, I'll have a word with the boss later," he pauses for a second, "Boss approved, you're on paid leave for the next four days."

"We're letting this get dangerously personal," she says a matter-of-factly.

"Patience may be a virtue Ms Romanoff but generosity sure isn't a crime," he chuckled.

She sighed, wondering if it was really okay but when she looked up, Steve was just looking at her with a gentle smile. It conveyed his affection, something she appreciated. It was hard, trying to keep their relationship a secret, especially when she was always around him. She had had to hold herself back from wanting to kiss the shit-eating grin off his face more times than she cared to count in the past few months but it was better this way. Natasha wasn't dying to scream to the world that she was dating Steve Rogers, she just wished they could be  _normal_. They couldn't go out on dates without worrying if the paparazzi were around and being together anywhere within a fifteen-mile radius of their office held more than a good chance of running into someone either one of them knew.

They were very different in retrospect. Steve ran a million-dollar corporation, she didn't. He drove luxury cars and flew from New York to Paris in a private jet while she took the subway or a cab on most days to get around New York City. She didn't own a penthouse with a crazy view of New York's skyline, heck, she didn't even own her own apartment. It was crazy to think that out of all the people she could've met, all the people she could've worked with, it had to be Steve who was her polar opposite. Sometimes it intimidated her as she thought about it really. They were such different people and yet they ended up together because they worked in the same building.

"What are you thinking about?" Steve asked, cocking his head at her.

"It's nothing, just got a little lost in thought is all. I think we should stop standing here, though," she replied, taking a glance at her watch, "Lunch break's almost over, people are going to start going back upstairs."

"I'll drive you back after work?"

"Sure," she smiled.

She would be going to England with him and meeting his family. She had never met any of her exes families, they simply never got to that stage. One night stands were never her thing but even when it came to dating people, it never got that far. It was normal, she supposed, to feel nervous but what would she do if they choose not to accept her? Could she just forget about it and move on? Steve loved her, she knew that she wanted to believe that everything was going to be okay. But something just didn't feel right. Maybe it was too soon or it was her nerves acting up, she didn't know.

She would find out soon enough.


	9. Natasha V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the extremely long wait, I hadn't had the inspiration to write but I'm back now! x

It was a beautiful day in London when they arrived. The sun was just starting to rise and there weren’t too many people crowding in Heathrow. Considering that they were only going to be away for four days, Natasha hadn’t packed too much and as they made their way out of arrivals, she couldn’t help but look around in admiration of the expanse of the entire place; it was enormous. She’d hardly ever been outside of New York, let alone to a different country altogether and Steve had merely chuckled at her child-like reaction.

“You look like a lost child. Don't worry, I’ll take you wherever you want to go later on,” Steve smiled, kissing her hand that he was holding as they walked through the throng of people that was starting to build.

Natasha shook her head, smiling, “Could you imagine if word got out that I only decided to be with you because you’ve just offered me an all expense paid trip to travel the world?”

“Well, there’s something the press would go crazy for,” he scoffed, “You worry too much.”

“Put yourself in my shoes, Steve,” she smirked, looking up at him, “You’d worry too.”

He kept quiet at her remark but squeezed her hand in reply. She knew he understood what sort of position she’d let herself get into. How could it possibly be easy for someone like her, who knows practically nothing about the world of the rich and famous, to be thrown headfirst smack in the middle of all of it? Nothing much had changed throughout the few weeks that she had been with Steve, if not only because it was still their secret. Things were going to change from now on, she was going to meet his family; the family that he hardly even acknowledged as so.

She was nervous.

* * *

They stopped at a Starbucks to pick up some coffee before heading towards the platform; they were taking a train to Cambridge, where Steve's extended family lived. It wasn't as cold in London as it was in New York but there was just something about being in a different city that made her feel a little more alive. She readjusted the scarf around her neck before turning to look at Steve. He was just staring into space, watching people as they walked by.

"What's on your mind?" she asked, reaching up to smooth down the bit of flyaway hair on his head, "You've been awfully quiet."

He shook his head, "Just thinking about work. I've just received a text from Mr Johnson, he wants me to meet him at the Holten gala this weekend."

"Oh," she replied, "You never did tell me about why you needed James as the middle man to get Mr Johnson."

Steve shot her a half-smile and took a sip of his coffee, "I'll tell you but the train's approaching. Come on."

Once they were sat down comfortably in business class, as she had already expected, she let Steve continue his story.

"Philip Johnson is actually my mother's estranged older brother. They had been close once, not that she had told me any of this; I'd only found out much later after she'd passed, actually. Once Joseph had come into the picture, Philip hadn't been able to handle it. He knew that Joseph was just bad news but mum never did listen well. After she'd gotten pregnant with me, Philip hadn't stayed around to gloat and they'd just drifted apart. He never showed up at family gatherings or anything but he'd ended up making a name for himself in business, which brings us back to the deal that Bucky had promised. I'm sorry for being such a douchebag, by the way, I shouldn't have agreed to Buck's proposition. My mother would talk my ear off if she were still around," Steves said, "It's no way to treat a lady."

"It's okay, I can understand why you did it," Natasha replied, shaking her head as she leant back against the seat, "Being rich sure does come with its own set of problems, huh?"

"It does," he admitted, "Now, you know why Philip Johnson doesn't want to have any dealings with us. We're still making a good profit but if we reigned him in, we'd be doubling whatever money we're making now. We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars here, Nat."

"I don't think he'd just waltz right on in and agree to become a major shareholder just like that, right?" She asked gently, "He's going to want something in return and you know it."

"If it's something I can offer, I don't see why not," he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Ugh, I can't think straight right now. What with Renee and meeting the rest of the extended family, I don't think I can handle thinking about Philip as well."

"Hey," she said, reaching out to lace her fingers with his, "I believe in you. It's going to be difficult, I can't say that it won't be, but we'll get through it."

He turned to look at her and smiled, "Huh..."

"Besides, you have me. I think I can help you gain some semblance of control over your life. It's my job, after all," she laughed. "I knew it was a good idea to bring you," he chuckled.

* * *

"Mr Rogers, welcome to Cambridge. My name is Adam and I'm under orders from Madam to escort you to the household."

A sharply dressed man was waiting for them, or rather Steve, at the platform when they arrived in Cambridge. He had Steve's name written on a placard and had taken their bags without another word as they trailed a few steps behind him.

"Is he your grandmother's butler?" Natasha whispered, looking precariously at Adam. Steve shrugged, "Beats me, I'm guessing he's the driver. Patrick is her go-to man for everything else."

It sure was different being rich. You had plenty of people to wait on you based on your every whim and fancy and nobody to say a word about it. If given the choice, she didn't think that she'd be able to get used to living such a life anyway, "Are we going to be staying with her?"

"She doesn't know you're coming but I don't believe she'd like to see my face around the house for the next four days."

"I'm not sure I can handle being in the same ten-mile radius as her, let alone live in the same house and I haven't even met her yet."

"We can stay further out from the household, it wouldn't be a problem," Steve suggested, "There are a couple of nice hotels around."

"Right," she sighed, "I don't think she'd want to see a stranger like me around either."

His grandmother sounded vicious and she hadn't even met the lady yet. Natasha almost shuddered thinking about it. Steve had said that Renee didn't know she would be coming, which only made things worse. Who was she to be tagging along all the way from New York to England and attending his father's  _funeral_  with him nonetheless? Was Steve going to reveal their relationship to his grandmother of all people? It was a possibility but not one she liked thinking about. She couldn't risk making Renee dislike Steve even more, especially if she found out that her grandson was dating his secretary of all people. It was simply preposterous that someone of his stature would be with someone like her.

* * *

They arrived outside the biggest house, no scrap that,  _mansion_ , that Natasha had ever had the pleasure to lay eyes on. It had been a forty-five-minute drive from central Cambridge to the further outskirts where the place was located. The gates were so large they possibly rivalled Buckingham Palace's and the driveway which wound around a large fountain was long enough to fit at least twenty cars. This place put the Kardashians to shame.

As Steve helped her out of the car, it was all she could do to keep herself from gawking at the sheer size of the place. They made their way up the stone steps and a maid opened up the massive front doors. It wasn't until Renee herself appeared at the top of the grand marble staircase did she realise what it felt like to face her fears head on.

"Welcome back, Steven."


	10. Steve V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one week?? I must be mad but anyway, here you are you lovely people! The last chapter alone garnered so much love I just couldn't help myself. Thank you so, so much for all the support and I love you all! I also love reading comments and even though I don't reply to every single one, I do appreciate and read it! So do feel free to drop me more!! This chapter does contain swearing so be warned. Much love xx
> 
> P/S: We're almost at 200 kudos!! Isn't that absolutely mental??

"Renee, it's a pleasure to see you again," Steve smiled half-heartedly, his hands tucked away in his pockets.

He made no move towards his grandmother as Natasha stood by his side. Renee was as regal and as graceful as ever; even as she was nearing her mid-sixties. Her thick, shoulder-length blonde hair was streaked with a few strands of white but other than that, she hadn't aged at all since Steve had last seen her almost fifteen years ago. Her prominent cheekbones were powdered and the dark blue dress she had on hugged every curve in all the right places. That was no surprise to Steve; after all, Renee had once been a highly-sought after model.

"The pleasure is all mine," Renee replied, walking down the stairs slowly, taking her time with each step, "We meet again under such dire circumstances."

"It is inevitable," Steve said, trying to conceal his emotions behind a mask of indifference. Even the way she spoke was cold and demeaning. Did her favourite son's death even mean _anything_ to her?

"Well, I'd hate to keep you and your… Steven, you hadn't informed me that you would be bringing someone?"

He felt Natasha tense beside him and stepped back to put an arm around her shoulders. Renee raised an eyebrow at his gesture but remained composed otherwise, "Natasha Romanoff, my girlfriend."

Renee let out a faint _'oh'_ and as she continued her descent down the stairs, Steve could just tell she was scrutinising her in the harshest way possible. His grip tightened possessively around Natasha as Renee sauntered towards them. She held out a dainty hand for Natasha to shake and smiled, "It is wonderful to meet you, Natasha."

Natasha took her hand and gave her a bright smile in return, looking fairly intimidated, "It's nice to meet you as well, Mrs Rogers."

Renee shook her head, smiling, "My dear, you may call me Renee. I take no claim in using my husband's name."

Steve held his tongue. How could Renee possibly say that when she was practically one of the wealthiest women in the world because of him? She even had a plethora of 'friends' by her side, ready to do her every bidding with just a few sweet words and a promise of rewards. With wealth came power and his grandmother was every bit as powerful as anyone could possibly imagine.

"Enough chitter-chatter in the foyer, I'll have someone show you to your rooms," Renee said, waving a hand dismissively as she made her way towards the living room, "Before that, I'd like to have a word with you, Steven; in private if I may. Natasha turned to look at him rather uncomfortably and he decided to speak up, "It's alright, we will be staying elsewhere. We wouldn't want to intrude."

Renee turned around and sent him a sharp look, "Nonsense, if it is all the same to you, it'd be best if you stayed here. There's no need to go anywhere."

Her tone of voice left an air of finality in the air, leaving no room for argument. Steve shot Natasha a silent apology and nodded stiffly, "Alright, then."

"Excellent. Bailey, please see Natasha to her room. Steven, come with me."

An obedient butler appeared from the left end of the foyer, Steve guessed it was the dining room or kitchen area, and nodded, "Yes Madam, Ms Natasha if you'd kindly follow me."

Steve relinquished his grip on her before leaning down to whisper in her ear, "I'll come look for you later."

"Okay," she replied, shooting him a smile that said thank you. He nodded and traced his grandmother's footsteps towards the living room.

* * *

"Sit down, Steven."

Steve did as he was told and sat down on the plush white leather sofa across his grandmother. Glancing around the room, he realised that the room hadn't changed much at all from what he remembered. To the left of where he sat were large picture windows which offered a view of the vast expanse of the household's extremely well-maintained gardens. Modern floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined the right wall of the room next to the blazing fireplace, bathing the room in soft warmth.

"How have you been?" Renee asked, casually. His composure was almost thrown off by the simple question she posed. Why would she _care_ how he was doing? He was the bastard of her favourite son. Simply put; she despised him.

"Fine, thank you," he replied, trying to bring the conversation to a close. Renee smiled rather coldly, "I see, you must be wondering what I called you here for."

"It can't have been to offer me tea and some scones. After all, it's you we're talking about."

His grandmother laughed cynically, "Fancy hearing that from you. How much do you even know about me?"

"I know you well enough to believe that you will always have your own hidden agenda. Why else would you invite me to Joseph's funeral?"

Renee sighed audibly, "My, my, I may detest you Steven, but I bear a responsibility as a mother to fulfill her son's last wish."

Her tone turned sour as she continued to speak, "Joseph had requested on the day he died that you attend his funeral, it wouldn't be right without you, he said. Could you imagine how much of a shock it was when I heard those words? Why, you're nothing more than a bastard, how could he even think of something so despicable?"

Steve clenched his fists. Why he had decided to come back was suddenly a far-fetched idea of respecting his late father and as little as he respected the person whom was his biological father, his mother had raised a better son than that, "If you think I came here to claim a place on his will and return to New York with the money, you are mistaken. I don't want any of it."

"I wouldn't let you have a single cent of it!" Renee growled, standing up. She was incandescent and inconsolable, "It was _your_ fault my relationship with Joseph was ruined! We used to be so close but even until his death, he refused to even acknowledge me as his mother!"

"You forced him to marry a girl he didn't love and treated him like a pawn in your sick game of politics!" Steve exclaimed, "What did he do to leave you with the impression that you had that right over him?"

"I loved my son!"

Steve glared at her, "Then why did you use him? You used him and you know it, whether you'd like to admit it or not."

"I did not use my son! I did what was best for him!" Renee shouted, practically seething with rage, "It was that whore of a person you call your mother! She took him away from me!"

"Don't you dare disrespect my mother!" Steve growled as Renee moved closer to him, "It is not my mother's or anyone's fault that Joseph hadn't forgiven you until his death!"

"How dare you! What do you know of a mother's love for her children? What could that waitress possibly have taught you other than to clean dishes and wait on others? How different are you from any one of these people working under me?"

"You can hate me as much as you want, but don't you dare talk about my mother like that. I am different. Unlike you, I didn't marry rich and abused the power; I created this success on my own. But what could you understand about that? At least my mother had a son who loved her," he spat, turning around and walking away before she could say anything else. He had heard enough.

* * *

His exit from the living room was greeted by the quiet judgment and stares he received from the servants. Turning away, he left and slammed the door so hard it ratted on its hinges. It was freezing outside and he hadn't grabbed his coat but he kept walking, trying to get away and clear the vicious thoughts from his mind. He had made the wrong decision to come back to this place and he had known deep inside that he shouldn't have brought Natasha along with him. Now, she was going to be thrown into this mess because he hadn't been strong enough to handle it on his own. What had he been thinking? He had known all along the reason Renee hated him so much. Being a bastard son was one thing but carrying the Roger's name as well? Steve had always denied any relations to Joseph's detestable family and hadn't wanted to keep the name but Sarah had insisted upon the fact that he was his father's son. Steve could only scoff at the thought.

The man himself hadn't even acknowledged him as a son anymore shortly after Steve had gone to high school.

His mother had gone through everything by herself. From cooking to cleaning to raising him in the harsh concrete jungle that was New York; she had done it all.

How could Renee possibly think that Steve wanted _anything_ at all to do with Joseph after all that? He had never been a father to Steve and he never will.

Soon, Steve trekked what he felt was far enough and stopped, breathing hard. He made sure the house was no longer in view before realising his phone had vibrated in his pocket, prompting him to dig it out.

 _It's probably Natasha_ , he thought.

It then occured to him that he'd left her alone back at the household. He'd been so caught up with his own emotions that he hadn't even noticed.

"Good fucking job, Rogers. You're such a fucking dick," he said, louder than necessary. Not that it mattered; there wasn't anyone around to hear.

Perhaps it should've worried him to death, but Natasha was better off not being by his side right now. It was a risk, but he knew that Renee would never take a go at someone she didn't know well enough to use.

_Where are you? I heard yelling._

_I've gone out, don't worry about me. I'll be back soon._

He replied and switched his phone off after that.

* * *

The town wasn't located too far away and Steve had walked there. The local bar was hardly crowded, save for a couple of old men reminiscing their younger days and a couple of people sitting in the back. Quiet music played in the background as he sat down before slapping a hundred pound note on the table.

"Get me your strongest whisky," he ordered as the warmth around the room brought the colour back to his cheeks. The cold had seeped bone-deep but he hadn't cared; he could handle it. The bartender set down the glass of whisky and he downed it in one swig. Steve motioned for him to refill the glass and the man did as he was told. He was all for getting drunk tonight, he needed the relief.

A long-haired, leggy, brunette sat down next to him but he didn't bother turning to look at her. She spoke with a strong, sultry accent that as far as he could tell, was not English, "What's got you down, stranger?"

He turned to look at her and was surprised when he realised who she was, "Wanda?"

She laughed, "I thought you wouldn't have recognised me there, what with the amount of alcohol you are chugging."

"What are you doing here?" He asked. Wanda Maximoff was one of the sweetest people he knew. She had been the one and only friend he'd made on his first trip to Cambridge and they'd been the best of friends ever since. Because he hadn't come back to Cambridge after that one visit and she hadn't made a trip to New York, it seemed unlikely that he'd ever see her again. To run into her at the bar was something he'd least expected.

"I live here, Steven. I should be the one asking you that question. How come you didn't tell me you were coming back?"

"I just got in earlier today, I've been… _tied up_ ," he confessed. He didn't know how much truth his words held but he let it slide. He didn't even want to think about everything that happened earlier today.

"Oh, is it for your father's…?"

Steve nodded, confirming her thoughts. He hadn't had many friends as a child and ended up spilling everything to her not too long after he met her. He didn't regret anything, though.

"I'm sorry for your loss," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He shook his head, "He's not my father so don't be sorry, I never had one."

She smiled rather sadly and placed a kiss on his cheek, "I'm sorry nonetheless. He was an affable man."

Steve took another swig of whisky and chuckled, "At least one of us thinks so."

"Yeah… Are you going to be staying long?"

He shook his head, "I think I should leave on the first flight available tomorrow. I don't know why I even bothered to come back."

"The funeral's the day after tomorrow isn't it? How could you think of leaving?" She asked, quizzically. Steve sighed, swirling the contents of his glass in one hand, "I fought with Renee. That bitch doesn't even know what the hell she's done wrong."

"Do you want to talk about it? I mean, we could think of this as an unexpected reunion after fifteen years," Wanda smiled, nudging him playfully, "Unless you have somewhere to be?"

Steve shook his head, sending her a soft smirk, "I don't."

Perhaps he should've switched his phone on to see if anyone, if Natasha, was looking for him but he wasn't ready to go back to reality. He didn't have the strength to face her or anyone else just yet. She must've thought of him as such a loser, running away from all his problems like a child. It was an ass move, what he was doing, considering she was his girlfriend, but he didn't know what else to do. He couldn't go back there so he just stayed where he was seated and took another swig of whisky.

Wanda shot him a smile and ordered another bottle of Jack Daniel's, "Great. Then, let's pick up where we left off all those years ago."


	11. Natasha VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steve's not an ass, guys. I promise. He's made a bad decision and besides, the drama is just getting started!! Thank you so much for all the love x

It was late.

The sky had long since turned dark but there was still no sign of Steve. His phone had been unreachable and she was worried sick.

Being stuck in an unfamiliar place was one thing but being stuck alone? Natasha was frustrated, to say the least. It wasn't because she worried about Renee, though. In fact, she had been nothing but hospitable throughout dinner. They had both sat down for a nice meal in the lavish dining room and exchanged small talk and pleasantries. Natasha was wary at first and they never did make it to discussing personal affairs, to her own relief, but Renee was friendly enough. Natasha had been terrified at first if not only because Steve's grandmother seemed to be able to see right through her but perhaps she wasn't as vicious as Natasha initially thought.

She was just on the verge of falling asleep when her phone notification went off. It was Steve.

'Hi, could you get the door?'

Dropping her phone on the bed, she immediately rushed down the stairs, running through the long corridors as quietly as she could. Whatever the hell he was doing, she was just glad he was back, or so she thought. However, when she opened the door, she was greeted with quite a surprise. Steve was dead drunk and the only thing keeping him on his feet was an extremely beautiful girl.

Natasha stood there, stunned and unable to comprehend the sight itself.

_What the fuck was going on?_

"Uhm, hi. My name is Wanda. Could you help me with him?"

She even spoke with a fucking exotic accent that Natasha couldn't put a name to. Natasha scowled internally at the thought of what might've happened between the both of them as Wanda passed Steve over to her.

It felt like lifting dead weight and she was already struggling when Wanda let go, "I'll take care of him. Thank you for sending him home."

Wanda flashed her a grateful smile and was about to turn to leave before she spun around and handed her his phone, "Sorry, I used his phone to message you. You're Natasha, right? Thanks, again."

Natasha gave her a polite smile as she kicked the door shut and half-lifted, half-dragged Steve into the living room. Sure, she went to the gym and she could lift quite a bit, but Steve was almost 200 pound of muscle and then some. She resisted the urge to just leave him on the floor out of pure spite and settled on the couch instead. He was drunk alright and she was more than certain he'd feel this tomorrow.

She'd been there before herself, after all.

Standing over him in the night drenched room, the rush of emotions she'd been feeling all day took over. She turned away from him and frustrated tears began to make their way down her cheeks. Had Steve really cheated on her? She didn't even want to think about how she was going to have to face him when morning came. Her chest tightened at thought of him being with somebody else and the only question that kept running through her head was ' _why me?_ '.

After her douchebag ex, she'd promised herself she'd never cry over another guy, but here she was standing in someone else's living room sobbing as quietly as possible because it was as if everything in her world was starting to fall apart in the most miserable way possible.

She didn't know how long she'd been standing there when she heard her name being murmured.

"Nat…"

Quickly drying her tears, she expected someone to find her bawling like a child but there was no one around. The voice she'd heard had been Steve's. He was talking in his sleep.

"I'm sorry…"

She bit her lip, trying to hold the tears back as turned around and left.

* * *

Natasha spent the entire night staring blankly at the ceiling; the patterns were practically imprinted in her mind by now. She had wanted to cry, to scream how unfair the world was to her, but the tears and the words simply wouldn't come. When morning came, the only thing left was the bitter aftertaste of her own malicious thoughts.

Steve had already disappeared from the sofa when she'd made her way downstairs and she almost felt slightly relieved if not agitated. She wanted to believe in Steve but after years of being deceived and hurt, she had learned to assume the worst. Deciding to skip breakfast so she wouldn't have to face him, she grabbed her coat instead and headed out. She had no idea where she would go, but anywhere was better than here. But before she could even twist the gilded doorknob, she heard her name being called.

"Nat!"

She didn't have to turn around to know who it was. It was Steve; he was sounding chipper for someone who probably had a massive hangover. She felt like she couldn't possibly deal with this right now; it was too soon and the pain too raw but she took in a deep breath and mustered up the courage she needed.

Steve could run away from his problems but she wasn't like that, or she'd like to believe that anyway.

It was time to address the elephant in the room.

Turning around, she gave him a tight smile, "Good morning."

He gave her a quizzical look as if she was the one acting weird. God, as she looked into those sinful blue eyes of his, her emotions started to cloud her better judgment. For the first time in her life, she wanted to forget everything she saw last night and just go on with their lives.

"Is this about last night?"

She kept quiet, unable to say the words she wanted to.

"I'm sorry I didn't take your calls. I was just such a mess, I didn't want to take it out on you."

"So, that made it okay to mess around with someone else?" She asked, trying hard to keep her composure as she clenched her fists to stop from shaking.

"What are you talking about, Nat? I would never cheat on you," he replied, sounding hurt that she would even imply anything of the sort. "What did I do?" He continued, his voice soft.

The anger and frustration she'd been holding in bubbled to the surface, "What did you do? What the hell do you think you did? Steve, you came back here hanging off some girl's arm! Do you know what the fuck you did now?"

"What? Who? Was it Wanda?"

"Yeah, that's what she said her name was," she said, crossing her arms.

"Wanda's just a friend, Nat. I swear nothing happened. I've known her since I was a kid and we just got caught up talking about the past."

"You were getting caught up while I was worried sick, Steve! Did you even think about how I felt?" She stuttered, barely raising her voice. He looked at her and the desperate tone in his voice almost shattered what little control she had left, "I'm sorry. I really am, but I promise you, nothing happened between the two of us. I shouldn't have left you here, okay? Hell, I shouldn't even have brought you here with me. This one's on me because I was too afraid to face it on my own. I was the one who couldn't handle being back here without someone I could lean on and now I've gone and fucked it all up because I can't fucking get my thoughts in order. That's all on me, Nat."

"Yeah, it is," she whispered.

Perhaps he wasn't expecting her words, or maybe he did, Natasha couldn't tell. Swallowing her own words left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"I love you, Nat. You know that..."

Steve's voice cracked ever so slightly and she could tell he was hurt. But, so was she, "Yeah, I do."

"Do you still love me?" He asked, quietly. The dread in his blue eyes was clear as day and she felt horrible just looking at him. She bit her lip, nodding, "I do."

The repeated stabbing of his words in her chest was enough to make her want to curl up into a ball and just hide away for the rest of her life. Of course, she loved him. She loved him so much she physically ached every time she thought about how badly this could go.

"I love you and I'm so fucking sorry I had to put you through this," he said as he stepped closer. She was rooted to the spot, she couldn't, didn't, want to move. So, she just nodded, "Yeah, me too..."

Her voice sounded fragile even to her own ears. It was as if she couldn't believe her own words and she didn't even know if she could as he held her tightly in his arms.

They spent the rest of the day in each other's company. It felt awkward and tense as they ran through a very vague resemblance of their daily lives without exchanging too many words. Natasha didn't know if it was ridiculous or heartbreaking but whatever it was, it was too painful to admit. How could being with someone she loved so much hurt this bad? The tension between them was almost unbearable but she couldn't bring herself to get up and go. It was painful being near him and it was actually suffocating being without him. What was she going to do?

* * *

The day of the funeral arrived and they went through the motions without any delays. Natasha felt numb, she was sitting right next to Steve and yet, she felt so far away from him. The distance between them seemed to grow the longer they went without speaking. Natasha watched quietly as Renee stood behind the podium, dabbing her eyes delicately with a handkerchief. She couldn't describe what she was feeling, but listening to Renee made her wonder if she actually knew the whole story. Steve had told her bits and pieces but there seemed to be so much more that she didn't know.

"Joseph had always been a boy with big dreams. He was only forty-eight when he was diagnosed and he had lost the battle far too soon. My son…"

Even the way she wept, Natasha couldn't help but think of it as far too graceful. Steve was practically unreadable at that point, his face void of expression. Without thinking, she reached out and his hand found hers. She turned to look at him and offered a vague smile, but he wasn't looking at her, his gaze was fixated on Renee.

She wanted to yell at him so badly, why did he have to do this to her? What had she done so wrong, perhaps even in her past life, to be treated this way? Natasha bit back her words instead, swallowing the unpleasant lump in her throat as she turned away.

* * *

When the time came for the reading of the will, they were getting ready to leave when a lady dressed professionally in all black stopped them.

"Good afternoon, Mr Rogers. My name is Naomi Pine and I'm Joseph's lawyer. We'll be having the will reading in about fifteen minutes. Will you be able to attend?"

Steve shook his head, "No, I think you may have gotten the wrong person. I have no relations with Joseph Rogers."

"Oh? But, you are Steven Grant Rogers, correct? Your name is on Joseph's will and he has specifically requested that you must be present at the time of the reading of the will."

"I'm not sure if that would be a good idea," Steve confessed. Naomi shook her head, "We can't start without you, Mr Rogers."

Natasha could see how he hesitated for a moment. What on Earth had Steve's father been thinking? Or was there more to the story than Steve had let on? When Naomi left, Natasha tugged at his hand before leading him to a quiet corner of the church.

"What's wrong?" He asked, tucking a lock of stray hair behind her ear. She swallowed back her fears and looked at those blue eyes she loved so much, "Steve... I have something to say."

"What is it?" He asked, concern clouding his face.

"No, it's just… I think we should take a break."

Natasha tore her gaze away from him. She couldn't bear the pain that came with her words. How silly she must've been to think that they could've worked out. She wasn't enough for him.

"Nat, I swear nothing happened-" She could hear the desperation in his voice as he grabbed her arm, trying to convince her to stay and listen.

"No, that's not it."

"Then tell me, what's wrong?" He pleaded.

She took in a shaky breath, "I'm going home, Steve. I can't stay here and pretend to be part of a world I'm obviously not welcomed in."

"Nat, please," his voice barely above a whisper as he held her face tenderly. She wanted to cry but she couldn't, not here, not now, "I can make you happy, I promise. Give me that chance to prove it to you."

"I'm scared," she replied, pushing him away, "I can't do this alone."

"I'm here for you, Natasha, please."

She backed away, shaking her head, "I'm sorry. I'll see you around, Steve."

The last thing she heard was Steve calling her name as she wiped away the tears, trying to blend in with the crowd at the church.


	12. Steve VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More drama and angst ahead...

**_STEVE ROGERS READY TO SPILL THE TRUTH?_ **

_Pictured leaving Joseph Rogers’s funeral in Cambridge, everyone is questioning what on Earth he is up to_

**Posted Apr. 28, 2017 at 6.43 AM GMT | By Leah Faraday @leahfaraday**

Steve Rogers had blown everyone away with his charming, boyish ways the last time he was featured in TIME magazine back in February. The admirable New Yorker was ready to take on the world by storm but now, he’s back on our radars and it’s definitely not because he’d gotten a haircut.

For years, he had denied any relations, despite allegations, to the powerful Rogers family, citing, ‘We simply have the same last name’. Now, we aren’t so sure that’s true anymore as many are speculating that this might have just been a diversion for him [Steve] to focus on his work instead of being accused of taking the ‘easy way’ up the corporate ladder. It is widely known that he had built his entire empire from the ground up, even recently buying out Barnes Enterprise from a fellow competitor, James Barnes. While that certainly had nothing to do with his last name, it has left everyone wondering. Who is the real Steve Rogers?

                                             

Dressed to the nines in a black three-piece ensemble, he was spotted several days ago in Cambridge attending Joseph Rogers’s funeral. Joseph Rogers who had previously been affiliated with the famous firm, Paxton Law, had been out of the public eye for quite some time now as he battled leukaemia in his childhood home in Cambridge. He had passed away last week while in hospital after suffering a third bout of pneumonia.

Questions are beginning to stir as reports claim that he [Joseph] had fathered an illegitimate son almost 28 years ago, Steve Rogers being the son in question. That does seem to be the case, doesn’t it?

We have also learned exclusively that he [Steve] hadn’t gone to the funeral alone. In fact, he had a mystery woman with him. ‘They arrived together and were seated in the front,’ our source claims, ‘He was even holding her hand the entire time. Something was definitely up.’

His mysterious redhead was pictured leaving without him later that day while he left much later. ‘He was looking quite distraught after she left,’ our insider shares, ‘It looked like they had gone through a fight.’

Trouble in paradise so soon? It won’t be long before people start throwing questions and his [Steve] publicist is definitely going to have her hands full. What do you think? Leave a comment below and subscribe for the latest updates every hour of every day.

_43 comments, 14 shares_

**PrairieHG _:_** _Are you kidding? Who on Earth is this girl and why the hell has Steve invited her to his alleged father’s funeral??_

 **LovelyDee211:** _Joseph Rogers’s son?? Am I reading this right?_

 **Jesse_King7:** _Called it several years ago. Definitely lost some respect for Steve right there._

* * *

Of course, the media would find out. They'd been on his tail for years, desperately trying to uncover some sort of scandalous secret from him. He had thought it would've simmered down after so long but he'd stupidly let his guard down and now they're after Natasha as well.

She had disappeared without another word as he stood there, unable to think of anything to say to get her to stay. He could still see her face; the shattered look in her eyes as she left. Steve had broken her heart all over again, even when he had promised he wouldn't. He'd lost the girl he wanted to call his wife.

* * *

_"Thank you all for coming."_

_Steve pushed open the wooden door to a private room in the church, trying to keep a straight face as he saw Renee seated in the corner of the room. She narrowed her eyes sharply and a scowl decorated her delicate features, "What is he doing here?"_

_He stood by the door, leaning against the wall as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Joseph wanted him to be here, I was instructed not to proceed without Mr Steven," Naomi said, clearly unfazed by the heavy tension in the room. Steve avoided Renee's gaze, looking straight ahead. He wasn't here to argue with her nor create drama, he just wanted to get the hell out of there.He noticed the rest of his relatives seated around the small, barely furnished room. His uncles, Keith and Liam, were two of the more tolerable people in the family but his only aunt, Elyria, was like her mother through and through. She detested him as much as Renee did. Keith was the CEO of the family business, Sterling West while Liam hadn't decided to venture into real estate at all, he was the head neurosurgeon in one of London's biggest hospitals._

_He noticed the rest of his relatives seated around the small, barely furnished room. His uncles, Keith and Ryan were two of the more tolerable people in the family but his only aunt, Elyria, was like her mother through and through. She detested him as much as Renee did, for what reason, he wasn't particularly sure. Keith was the CEO of the family business, Sterling West while Liam hadn't decided to venture into real estate at all, he was the head neurosurgeon in one of London's biggest hospitals._

_Keith was the CEO of the family business, Sterling West, while Liam hadn't decided to venture into real estate at all; he was the head neurosurgeon in one of London's biggest hospitals. Elyria, on the other hand, was what Steve would like to call a trophy wife. She was a beautiful woman and it was not surprising that she'd caught the eye of multi-millionaire Patrick Hart who was an extremely successful entrepreneur dealing with the F &B industry and owned multiple chains of exotic food places all over the UK.  _

_"Now that everyone is present, let us begin," Naomi started, "Firstly, to Mrs Rogers, you will reclaim the Earlwood estate in Canterbury and the Westwood manor in Bristol given to Joseph fifteen years prior as well as half a million pounds..."_

_Steve let the information go through one ear and out the next as Naomi listed the numerous things Joseph had left behind for his immediate family. He was surprised to have been asked to go to the will reading at all; it wasn't as if he wanted any of Joseph's money or anything that remotely tied him down to the Rogers family. In fact, Steve was much happier without any relations to Renee. He was still thinking about why on Earth he was even called here when he heard his name being mentioned. He had thought that it must've been some mistake, why would Joseph bother leaving him anything? But, Naomi was looking straight at him._

_"Lastly, to Mr Steven, Joseph has made the decision to leave you 35% of his shares in Sterling West."_

_"What?" Renee said, standing up, "Why wasn't I informed of this decision?"_

_Steve was as shocked as she was. 35% of shares in Sterling West was almost enough to make him the new CEO. Keith held 54% of all shares, making him the de facto CEO but giving Steve 35% meant he held more shares than Liam._

_"Mrs Rogers, please, sit down," Naomi continued calmly, "Joseph had made the decision on his deathbed."  
_

_"I'm his mother! You said it himself that he had made the decision on his deathbed, how could he possibly have thought it through?"_

_"Mrs Rogers, please. Joseph had already made his intentions very clear from the start when he had asked me to start writing his will half a year ago that the shares would not be returned to you or his siblings."_

_"He is not Joseph's son! How could he give away shares to someone not from our family!"_

_Naomi sighed, looking tired of Renee's angry yelling, "I'm certain that everyone in this room is aware of Mr Steven's position in the family."_

_Elyria was starting to look a bit pale as her mother continued her angry rant and Keith was deathly quiet; only Liam looked slightly amused, Steve noted. Of course, Liam wouldn't be shocked. He wasn't a fan of the politics within his family either and Steve knew he frankly didn't care where the money went. After all, he was doing extremely well for himself._

_"Have I the power to revoke my father's decision?" Steve asked, quietly, hoping that she would say yes. Renee was already threatening to call her team of lawyers but it wasn't the lawsuit he was afraid of, it was the fact that he might never be a free man ever again. He would always be tied to his last name and that was a curse in itself._

_Naomi turned to look at him and shook her head, looking apologetic, "No. You are not allowed to return, sell or otherwise give away the shares under any circumstances."_

* * *

When he got back to New York on Thursday morning, the press were already waiting for him at the airport.

"Steve! What were you doing at Joseph Rogers's funeral?"

"Is Renee Rogers aware of this?"

"Steve, is it true that you're Joseph Rogers's son?"

"Any comment on this issue at all?"

He ducked his head and continued walking, security holding them back as he made his way towards the waiting car outside. His publicist was going to have to go through hell, dealing with all of this. He felt kind of sorry for poor Eliza, having to fix his messes time and time again. It was her job, of course, and he made sure he paid her well but he didn't like causing her so much unnecessary trouble.

"Where to, Mr Rogers?" His driver asked.

"Home," he sighed, pulling off his sunglasses, "I'll be going back to the office at two."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"Good afternoon, Mr Rogers."

He had just exited the elevators and was about to enter his office when the familiar voice brought him to a halt. Natasha was still here, much to his own disbelief. He had already prepared himself to accept her resignation letter if she wanted to quit. Of course, he would've wanted to stop her but there wasn't much he could've done. Natasha was independent and so free-willed, he loved that about her but when she made up her mind, it was hard to convince her otherwise.

He was at a loss for words as he stood in front of her. She was wearing a black, long-sleeved lace dress and had her hair loose. Natasha always looked stunning but today, her face lacked the usual smile and she'd lost the mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Instead of looking at him, she busied herself with arranging the already neat stack of files on her table, obviously trying to ignore him as best she could.

"Natasha," Steve replied quietly, saying her name as a silent plea. She glanced up briefly at him but looked away, flashing him a passive smile as he walked past her and into his office. He wasn't about to hurt her again by bringing up what she clearly wanted to put behind, especially at work. It hurt him, more than he'd ever thought possible. He loved her so much but he had let everything get so wrong in just a few, short days. Clearly, she was tired of listening to his explanations. He had called her countless times after she'd left, leaving voicemail after voicemail, hoping that she would get back to him. Perhaps she wanted to believe him or maybe she didn't, he didn't know. There were always too many _what if_ s running through his mind whenever he thought about Natasha.

What if he wasn't good enough?

What if she wasn't comfortable with everything?

What if he'd lost her  _forever_?

"You're such a fuck up, Rogers," he sighed softly to no one but himself. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, so many things he wanted to do with her but he'd gone and screwed it all up anyway.

He had been lost in his thoughts when he heard muffled yelling and looked up to see his best friend looking rather unhappy as he spoke to Natasha. Bucky grabbed her by the arm and while he couldn't hear what on Earth they were talking about, he was pretty sure it was about him.

He was met with an angry Bucky next as he locked the door behind him, effectively keeping a frustrated Natasha outside.

"Steven Grant Rogers! What the fuck is this?" He asked, slamming a magazine on his table. As expected, it was his face on the front cover with the headlines about his alleged father-son relationship with Joseph and his mystery woman. Bucky knew about his dad but that wasn't what he was referring to, of course it wasn't; he was referring to Natasha.

"How did Natasha get into this mess??"

Steve sighed, running a hand through his already mussed hair, "I brought her with me."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Rogers? You know the press has been hounding you for years! Now, everyone is on the hunt for her as well."

"I let my guard down, Buck. You know I love her and I'd never do anything to hurt her. Renee threw some crap at me and I just... snapped. She was talking about my mum, Buck."

Bucky's expression softened almost instantly, "Shit, Steve. I'll beat the shit out of her if you want."

Steve chuckled, a slight smile appearing, "I'd like that very much but she'd probably attempt to frame me for murder after the will reading."

Bucky sighed, shaking off his jacket as he sat down, "What's really going on, Steve? Talk to me."

"Joseph left me 35% of Sterling West's shares," Steve replied, taking in a deep breath.

Bucky knew what that meant, of course, he did. He had been in this business for quite some time as well.

"Are you kidding? 35%? You're shitting me, right? Joseph left you that in his will? Are you going to give it back?"

"I can't, Joseph made sure of that."

Bucky shook his head in disbelief, "My God, Renee is probably having an mental breakdown right now."

"Exactly."

"She's not going to let you off this easy, not when you're such a threat to her empire at this point."

Steve sighed, "I know, Buck. I know, I don't want anything to do with Renee and her family. God, how I wish I hadn't gone back. I thought it might've been the best thing to do you know? If I hadn't gone, none of this wouldn't have happened."

"Why did you bring Natasha? You know she's not after anything," Bucky said as a pained expression crossed his features. He cared about her and while it shouldn't have, it made Steve the slightest bit jealous. How childish could he be? Natasha didn't belong to him, she was her own person and rightfully so. Pushing away the feeling, he spoke, "Of course, I know that. To be truthful, I did it because I was being selfish. I needed someone to be there for me and as much as I desperately want to say that I wanted to show her the truth about my family, it wasn't wholly about that. I couldn't handle being there alone. Heck, I got into a fight with Renee on the first day I got back. Natasha's my support system, you know. She practically runs my entire life, in and out of the office and I'd be one heck of a douchebag if I don't say I'm so fucking grateful for her. She's my girlfriend and yet I'd done some pretty unforgivable things at this point."

"Did you cheat on her? I swear Steve if you hurt-"

"Of course not! I love her," Steve insisted. To think even his own best friend didn't believe him, "You're all crazy if you think I'd do anything to hurt Nat. She's the most important person in my life, Buck. I would rather die than break her heart but I did. She doesn't trust me anymore and I don't know what I'm going to do."

* * *

**Wanda's POV**

_"So, how has New York been treating you?" Wanda asked, turning to look at him. She had missed those quirky eyes of his, but today he was looking like he wanted to hide from the world._

_"It's been one heck of a ride I'll tell you that," he sighed, "The company is doing well, we've got a whole lot of potential shareholders on the line and so many clients we've had to waitlist a couple million dollar worth in profits."_

_"You know I'm not asking you about that," she replied, shaking her head with a small laugh, "How are you really?"_

_"I pissed off Renee and probably fucked up my relationship with my girlfriend," he chuckled darkly, taking a swig of his drink._ _Wanda fought back the shock. He had a girlfriend..._

_She twisted the bracelet around her wrist, fiddling with it as she asked him what happened._

_"Renee threw her usual threats at me, regarding Joseph as usual and I left the moment she decided to take it to far by disrespecting my mum," he took in a deep breath, looking like he was fighting the pain, "As for the girlfriend, I'm probably in the midst of being an asshole to her right now."_

_"I didn't know you had a girlfriend," she replied, "And you brought her back here too."_

_Wanda had always been the slightest bit in love with Steve, as much as it hurt her to admit it. He would never see her as anything more than a sister, someone he could confide in when things went awry but never the person he wanted to hold at night. Wanda had learned to accept that, or at least she thought she had. The quiet ache in her heart when she heard the word_ girlfriend _seemed to prove otherwise, though._

_"Her name is Natasha," he smiled, "Pretty name, right? You should see the look on her face when she talks about her favourite books, it's like she's got stars in her eyes."_

_Shaking his head, he sighed, "I brought her here with me for absolutely selfish reasons, I think. She was ready to drop everything and come here, back to Cambridge, with me but, I've left her back at the house with Renee. I can't even face her right now."_

_"Do you want to go back?" Wanda asked._

_"I can't see her like this. She'd think I'm being such a loser and then she'd probably hit me for being such an ass and leaving her back there. Nat is a great person, so much more than I deserve to be honest."_

_"She is your girlfriend, Steve. She'll understand. You're not your mistakes, alright? Everyone has an off day now and then. But right now, you should go back, you're all she has at the moment."_

_It hurt her to say such things, especially when she wasn't being the most sincere. Of course, she wanted Steve to be happy; she just wished it was with her by his side. Right now, though, she had to do the right thing._

_Steve downed the rest of his bottle and she almost teared up. She missed spending time with him, just the two of them. There were no fake laughs, no pretences; everything was_ real.

_"What are you up to now?" he asked._

_Hesitantly, she replied, "I've been reading law at Cambridge and I'll be graduating in spring."_

_"Fuck, have I missed out on that much of your life? How come you didn't tell me you got into Cambridge?" He asked, ruffling her hair affectionately, swaying a bit as he reached over._

_"I figured you were busy since we hadn't spoken in so long."_

_"Oh, come on. I'll come to your graduation, just text me the date."_

_She smiled, doubting that he'd remember the promise come morning, "Okay."_

_"I should get going..." He slurred, wobbling as he got up._

_"I'll take you back. Where is your car?" She asked, holding him up as they made their way towards the exit._

_He looked like he was about to laugh when he said, "I walked here."_


	13. Natasha VII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many, many tears in this rather long chapter. Hold onto that Kleenex for a bit.  
> P/S: Thank you to everyone who supported this story thus far, I love all of you x  
> Translations:  
> я скучал по тебе - I have missed you  
> Дорогой, это ты? - My dear, is that really you?  
> Они лучше меня? - Are they better than me?  
> Вы выросли, наталия - You have grown up, Natalia

Natasha was never one who believed in lamenting about the shortcomings in her life but at the moment, she could only think about how much easier life would’ve been if she hadn’t met Steve Rogers. She’d read the news, of course, she had, and it just didn’t sit well with her. The media portrayed her in so many different ways that she was starting to question her own role in Steve’s life. At this point, was she even his girlfriend anymore? She wanted to ask, but she didn’t think that she would’ve been able to handle the answer.

It had only been a day since she’d gotten back and the jet lag was starting to kick in. It was three bloody a.m. in New York and she was already wide awake, no thanks to the five-hour time difference. God, she hated being awake at this hour. It was quiet, _too_ quiet and that was when the terrible thoughts she kept stowed away at the back of her mind started to run loose.

Getting up from her bed, she shuffled to the sofa in her living room and sat down. Flipping idly through TV channels, she checked her email, which in hindsight, was a terrible idea. The moment she saw Steve’s name, she felt the familiar sting in her eyes and as she switched the phone off, she couldn’t help but let a few tears fall. Everything was going so horribly wrong in her life at the moment, it was hard to function as a normal human being.

It didn’t help that she hadn’t quit working for Steve. She’d toyed with the idea the whole flight back but the moment she’d gotten home and sat down in front of her Macbook, she couldn’t bring herself to type out the words.

He was still in Cambridge and wouldn’t be back for another day or two, which was a good thing, she supposed. Every time she thought about him, the guilt washed over her in waves. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen if she actually had to face him.

Natasha had always been a realist; fairy tales were for children but that didn’t mean it hurt any less. She could remember the look on his face when she’d told him she couldn’t do it anymore; the pain etched into his features was unbearable to even try to comprehend. He was obviously hurt, scarred even, by what she had said but didn’t her feelings matter too?

She had enough self-respect to realise what she needed to do. Even so, that didn’t change the fact that she was absolutely miserable. She had cried for hours upon hours when she finally got home thinking that maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

There were always limitations to how much someone could possibly change their life. She could’ve planned and anticipated from every angle but what happens when life decides to throw a curveball and it doesn’t work out? Starting a relationship with Steve had been a gamble; a life-changing and eye-opening experience. So, why was she questioning the worth of her decision?

She was in love with Steve and she might always be; so, why would she be willing to throw away all the memories they’ve made in an instant?

She couldn’t deny the stabbing pain in her chest every time she thought about it; it felt like she could hardly breathe. It wasn’t that she hated him; she just hated the way it hurt so badly. Hadn’t she done her best to fulfil her role as his girlfriend? Hadn’t everything she had done been with his best interest at heart?

So, why wasn’t she _enough_?

* * *

James couldn’t look her in the eye as he left, shaking his head as he entered the elevator. She ran a hand through her messy hair, trying to understand what on Earth was going on. He’d gone off on Steve as she’d expected him to, even though she had tried to placate him.

_“I had to do it, James. It’s not his fault,” she reasoned, trying to get him to stop making a scene._

_“You had to do it because that fucking bastard didn’t treat you right,” he growled, positively fuming as he grabbed her arm, “Don’t try to even defend him. I’m not going to let him off until he tells me how the fuck he got you into this mess.”_

_“James, please. Stop it,” she pleaded, “I don’t want this to come in between the both of you.”_

_“I’m not going to let this stand, Nat. He’d better be able to give me a fucking good reason for this,” he scowled,  storming into Steve’s office and locking the door._

She kept her distance as Steve eventually approached her, looking as broken as she felt. She couldn’t face him, not after all that.

“Nat…”

“Yes, Mr Rogers?” she asked, trying to avoid eye contact once again as she penned a memo for him, “Can I assist you in anything?”

“Nat, please… Could you just talk to me for one second?” He sounded so desperate that it hurt.

She stood up, looking straight at him as she swallowed the lump in her throat, “Can we please not do this here? Not right now, Steve, not after what James just did.”

He seemed to ignore her question and dragged her into his office, locking the door as he pinned her against the wall, caging her in with his body.

“Let me go, Steve,” she gasped as her back hit the wall.

“Not until you let me explain myself,” he countered as she struggled to free herself. He clearly wasn’t letting her off that easy.

“I’m sick of seeing you,” he said. It took her moment to process what he was trying to convey and when she opened her mouth to speak, to say something, _anything_ , the words wouldn’t form. She brought one hand up, poised to smack him right across the face; anything to make him feel how angry and devastated she was. He caught her wrist and as she thrashed around, trying to get free, he continued speaking, “You didn’t let me finish.”

She felt the tears brimming as her stomach sank, “Stop. Just stop it, Steve. Please.”

“I’m not going to, not until you know how I really feel.”

“Just stop, please,” she begged. It was a horrible feeling. How could he possibly say something like that to her face? Hadn’t he fucked her up enough already?

Steve’s voice was soft as he spoke, a stark contrast to how authoritative his voice was just mere moments ago, “I want you to know that I’m sick of seeing you every day and not being able to say a word to you because you can’t even look me in the eye.”

“I miss you. I miss you so much it fucking hurts to even look at you when I know you don’t want _anything_ to do with me anymore,” his voice starting to crack as he looked at her, “I can’t do this anymore, Nat. I can’t do this without _you._ I can’t fucking walk into this God damn building without thinking about the fact that this might be the only time I’ll ever get to see you again. You don’t know how scared I am that you’ll decide to quit because you can’t stand looking at me anymore.”

As the shock wore off, she replied quietly, “I trusted you, Steve. I trusted you and now I’m not sure I can anymore,”

“I’ll do _anything_ , Nat. Anything to prove to you that I didn’t do what you’re accusing me of. I swear that nothing had gone on between Wanda and I. She’s like a sister to me.”

“It’s not just about her anymore, Steve. It’s _us_ ,” she replied, pushing him away as she tried to collect her thoughts. Her voice was thick with tears as she spoke, “We had our moment and now we’re plastered all over the front page of every tabloid in town.”

She wrapped her arms around herself as she leant against his desk, “I’ve read what your crazy fans have to say about me, I’ve had people trailing me around trying to get me to say something, _anything_ , about us and I can’t deal with this anymore. Steve, I’m trying to stay away from you before one of us gets hurt any more than they have to be. Don’t you think it’s time for us to move on with our lives?”

Something seemed to click into place in his mind, she noticed as she finished her sentence.

“I don’t think I can do this without you, you know,” he replied, a sad smile on his face as she took in a shaky breath, “This wasn’t how I pictured it would end.”

“Really?” She said as he approached her, “How did you think our relationship would’ve ended?”

Steve shook his head, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he stood beside her, his expression practically unreadable, “Do you really want to know?”

She nodded, “Humour me.”

He chuckled softly, “Always the brave one, huh, Romanoff?”

Natasha folded her hands in her lap, wondering if this really was the end. She had said everything she’d wanted to say but that didn’t mean she was ready to accept the end, despite everything. He’d left his mark on her heart.

“Well, I figured that after this whole shindig was over, what with the acquisition and the funeral, we would’ve spent a couple of years having the best time of our lives together. Surfing in Hawaii, cafe hopping in Paris, mountain climbing in Nepal, anything we felt like doing. Then, I’d finally get you to agree to move in with me and a few months later, you’d agreed to marry me.”

She couldn’t help but feel a stab of pain in her heart when he mentioned that. He wanted to marry her?

He chuckled softly, shrugging, “Yeah, that was the plan.  After that, we’d get a nice house in town and have a couple of kids, grow old together, the whole deal. But, I’ll be honest with you, Romanoff, the only way I thought our relationship would’ve ended was if either one of us kicked the bucket. Although, I did always think I’d be one considering the amount of alcohol I seem to drink.”

She let out a scoff and he reached out to tuck the loose strand of hair behind her ear, like he always did, running his thumb under her eyes to wipe away the tears she hadn’t realised had fallen. As he held her face tenderly, she couldn’t help but look into those blue eyes of his. They were clouded with emotion and she was sure he was fighting back the tears for her sake.

“Hey, Rogers,” she started, not looking away as she spoke.

He gave her a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes, “Yeah, Romanoff?”

“I’ll always love you, you know?” She murmured quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as he pulled her into an embrace, one arm wrapped tightly around her shoulder.

“And I don’t think I’ll ever love anyone as much as I love you,” he replied, kissing her on the forehead. The afternoon shadows fell on his face, making him look more vulnerable than he was as she pulled away.

“I’m not the brave one, Rogers. You are,” she said, kissing his cheek as she walked out of his office. She called for the elevator and before the doors closed, she caught a glimpse of the man she loved so much breaking down into tears.

* * *

She rarely saw Steve after that encounter in his office and days passed as Natasha tried to figure out what she wanted. For the first time in years, she took a trip back to the dance academy she’d gone to growing up. It was still as popular as ever, producing the most sought-after and successful of ballerinas. Pulling off her black trench coat as she walked in through the familiar doors, she felt the wave of memories wash over her. It was here that she first overcame her fears and made new friends, and it was here that she came to overcome the grief of losing her family.

“Natalia?”

Natasha turned at the mention of her birth name. Only one person here would know that.

“My dear Natalia, is that you?” The elderly woman asked, bewildered as she approached her.

Natasha could only nod as she embraced the woman who had been the mother figure in her life, “Madam Vitalievna, я скучал по тебе.

“Дорогой, это ты?” Madam Vitalievna smiled, tears in her eyes as she cradled Natasha’s face in her hands.

“It’s me, Madam. I promise,” Natasha grinned as Madam Vitalievna pulled away and ushered her into her office. It brought back the many memories that Natasha had as a child and as she sat down, she realised that nothing had changed. The walls were still a warm, oak brown and the fireplace that sat in the corner of the room was lit, the fire bathing the room with an ember glow.

“How have you been, my love?” Madam asked as she busied herself with putting the kettle on.

“It’s been… difficult,” Natasha admitted, thinking back to what had happened over the past few weeks.

“Is it because of what I have been reading about in the news?”

Madam Vitalievna placed the two steaming mugs onto her desk and sat down next to Natasha,  a comforting hand on her shoulder, “What is wrong?”

“It has been a rough few weeks,” she offered, not really wanting to dampen the mood with her negativity, “But, let’s not talk about that. How are you? How are the new students? Они лучше меня?”

Madam Vitalievna laughed and Natasha instantly felt better, “Natalia, you were on your way to being the country’s most famous prima ballerina. How could they be better than you?”

“It has been many years, Madam. Surely, I am not the last one to be a successful ballerina under your tutelage,” Natasha grinned.

“Вы выросли, наталия. You’re as beautiful as I remember,” Madam Vitalievna smiled, petting her on the head gently, “I wish you hadn’t left.”

Natasha steeled herself against the comment, trying to stop her emotions from showing on her face. Her mind was still in utter turmoil and she didn’t want to upset Madam Vitalievna. It had been years since she had made the decision to stop dancing. After her mother had died, she found little solace in continuing to dance. In fact, it had turned painful to recall the memories she had made with her mother, practising their dances late into the night. She still remembered what Madam Vitalievna had told her the day Natasha told her she was quitting the academy. She had stayed behind after class to break the news personally and after the initial shock, there was sadness in her voice as she spoke, “Мир танцев потерял самую яркую звезду.”

_The world of dancing has lost its brightest star._

* * *

She was leaving the academy and just about to head home when a heavily tinted Rolls Royce pull up next to her. Natasha backed away warily as the backseat window rolled down, revealing a face she hadn’t expected to see ever again.

“Renee?”

“Natasha, lovely to see you again,” Renee smiled, almost menacingly. Natasha frowned slightly, wondering what on Earth Steve’s grandmother was doing here in New York.

“I need to speak with you if you will,” she nodded as her driver got out and opened the door, ushering her inside the leather cladded vehicle.

Natasha turned to look at her, “How did you know I was here?”

“I’ve just arrived yesterday for a business trip,” she shrugged, nonchalantly, “I was around the area and happened to see you coming out of the building so I decided that I should use this opportunity to settle this once and for all.”

Natasha was just about to ask her what on Earth she was going on about when Renee spoke again, “The thing is Natasha, I need you to stop seeing Steven.”

“What?”

“I don’t want you anywhere near him and if you don't agree, I’m going to have to do something about that and I’d much rather not.”

“I’m… We’ve already broken up,” Natasha muttered.

Renee waved away the statement as if it were an irritating mosquito by her ear, “Oh? Even better. No hard feelings, then.”

Natasha squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. What was she up to?

“Natasha, I’m going to have to be very frank with you. So, here is my proposition. Tomorrow, you’re going to quit working for Steven and you’re going to get on the next flight to Paris where you’ll be a substitute ballet instructor at the Paris Opera for the next six months.”

Natasha’s eyes widened in surprise, “I… I can’t do that, Renee. I can’t drop everything I have here and leave for Paris.”

“Tell me, Natasha, what do you have? Did you plan on working for Steven for the rest of your life?”

“I-”

“There’s nothing left for you here, my dear,” Renee said, placing a hand over hers, “This will be a great opportunity for you. I know the people in Paris and I have absolutely no doubt they will be impressed by you.”

As much as Renee was right, it didn’t  _feel_ right.

“Why do you need to me to leave so suddenly?” Natasha asked all of a sudden, bewildered.

“You’ve always been smarter than people give you credit for, I believe that Natasha,” Renee smirked, “But, I’m not going to put out the same offer twice. So, consider this my final proposition but bear in mind I will not take no for an answer. What is your decision?”


	14. Steve VII

“Sir, Mrs Rogers is here to see you.”

It had been a couple of days since his conversation with Natasha and he had heard nothing but radio silence from her. Steve looked up from the files he had been reading to face his new assistant. Natasha had quit after the whole ordeal and his HR manager had gotten him a PA that spent too much time staring at him and not half as enough time looking through his schedule. He made a mental note to get her replaced within the next two days. The blonde cast him a smile as he avoided her gaze.

“Does she have an appointment with me?” He asked, tossing the documents onto the table with a loud thud.

“No, Mr Rogers. I just thought…”

“You just thought it would be okay for her to waltz in here because of her last name,” he replied nonchalantly. Of course, it had practically been the scandal of the decade. Joseph Rogers with an illegitimate son; the headlines had practically written themselves.

“Is that any way to talk to your PA, Steven?”

Renee stood in the doorway, dressed to the nines in a black trench coat; sunglasses nestled upon her head like a crown. “You may leave now, dear,” Renee smiled at his assistant, “And shut the door when you leave.”

Rachel did as she was told and left the room, leaving the two of them alone. Steve would rather shoot himself than deal with his grandmother but here she was anyway. Renee sat down in front of his desk, hands folded on her lap as she smiled.

“What are you doing here?” Steve asked, sighing, “I told you, I’m getting my lawyers to look through the will to see if we can find a loophole. I don’t want a single cent nor any shares out of it.”

Renee laughed, a sound that chilled him to the bone. He’d never so much as hear her speak in any way that was not demeaning, let alone _laugh_. “I don’t care about that, Steven.”

“You don’t?” Steve asked, looking at her in disbelief. If she hadn’t cared, why was she here in the first place? Did she not mean to claw his eyes out over what happened at the funeral?

“Of course, I don’t. Not when I have your Board of Directors in my favour,” she said, a menacing smile on her lips.

“What are you talking about?” Steve asked, his gaze sharp as he tried to figure out what on Earth it was that his grandmother wanted. She had left him alone all these years, never trying to undermine him unless provoked. He had stayed away like he knew she had wanted and carried on with his life. But now, here she was, haunting his every move. He didn’t want any of Joseph’s money and he certainly did not want any shares of Sterling West, but Renee was adamant that she’d be rid of him once and for all.

“We’re having a meeting in a moment, would you care to join us?” She asked, a mock pleasant tone in her voice.

Why would she be meeting with _his_ Board of Directors?

Then, he realised.

“You bought the company?” He asked, slamming his hands on the table as he stood up. To her credit, his grandmother didn’t even flinch.

“I own fifty-one percent of the shares, making me the de facto CEO in this company,” Renee smiled, “It wasn’t easy to convince some of your shareholders, they seem loyal to a fault, but nothing is impossible. Even the most loyal can’t say no to tens of millions of dollars to cover their loses.”

Steve curled his hands into fists, desperately trying not to swipe everything off his desk in his anger, “What is it that you want from me, Renee?”

She shook her head, smiling cruelly, “Steven, now that everyone has speculations that you are indeed Joseph’s son, it’s not likely to be forgotten within the next week. This isn’t a girlfriend scandal our publicists can take care of. So, why don’t we take it one step further? Sterling West has been put into a precarious situation because of this. Should any one of our investors decide to withdraw due to this scandal, it would be hard to convince them otherwise. How we assure them that we’ve been transparent with our business with them when you are in the picture?”

“I’ve long since left you alone to start up your own company but I will _not_ let this go on any longer, not when our family is at risk. You _need_ my help, Steven. Don’t let your hard work go to waste like this.”

If it were anyone else, they might have mistaken her for being caring. Steve knew better than to trust someone like his grandmother. She must have other intentions for her to be sitting in his office now, “Why would you want to help me?”

He posed the question not because he was curious, he knew exactly why she was doing this; he just wanted to hear it from her.

She paused for a moment before she spoke again, “Let’s face it, Steven. You can’t keep this act up for much longer; not after everything that has happened. Your shares have dropped by 3.5% over the last week and they haven’t shown any signs of recovery. Wouldn’t it be an embarrassment to the Rogers family if I let my _grandson_ ’s company declare bankruptcy? It would certainly leave a bad taste in my mouth.”

Steve could only look at her in disbelief; this woman was as cunning and conniving as they come, “To what lengths would you be willing to go to secure your position? You already have everything anyone could possibly ask for.”

“You’ll never understand, Steven,” she replied, quietly, a far-away look on her face, “You will _never_ realise how much I’ve given up for this family. I will _not_ let this legacy crumble to ashes.”

Renee narrowed her eyes at him. “I would rather die than watch Sterling West be made the laughing stock of the decade because of someone like _you_ ,” she spat venomously. Steve shook his head, “You’re willing to go through all of this? You’re willing to put it out there that I really am my father’s son for the security of your company.”

“If you will believe it as such, I have no intentions of denying it,” she replied, “I bought out your company, Steven. This is just the beginning.”

He gritted his teeth, glaring at her as she stood, “I’m not going to let you get away with this.”

“I always welcome a challenge, despite the fact that you are going to lose,” she smiled, before turning away. She paused as if remembering something and faced him, “Oh, and as for the girl…”

“What girl?”

“Your girlfriend, Natasha, was it? My, she is a beauty. Such a shame you let her go like this,” Renee shrugged, “Ah, but she wouldn’t make a good match for you, Steven; not when you’re meant to play the part as Joseph’s son.”

“What did you do to her?” He growled, feeling slightly anxious.

Renee laughed, “I was about to pay her a lot of money for her to resign and to never see you again but then she told me you two had broken up. She had saved me quite a bit of money that’s for sure. But, if you want your company back, then you’ll have to play by my rules.”

“What did you do TO HER?”

“I sent her someplace she’ll never have to see you ever again. I’m not going to give you an ultimatum between your company and the girl, Steven. I don’t think I like you quite enough for that,” Renee smiled, “The meeting is in the first conference room in ten minutes. I’d be on time if I were you.”

With that, she turned and strode out of the room. He collapsed in his chair, running a hand across his face as he sighed. _That_ was the reason Natasha had decided to resign.  He had made a mistake, bringing her to England at the time. If he hadn’t let her meet Renee, she might not have been able to sink her claws in this deep.

* * *

“We are here today for a very important announcement- “

Steve sat in a room full of traitors. Not everyone had sold him out, left him to fend for himself and business was business. It was a selfish world in the corporate field.  It was each one for their own. Sitting at the head of the table, he looked over each and every one of his people. Sam was here today, Steve hadn’t seen him in a long time. He shook his head but Steve held his stony façade. He would not let them see him as weak.

He was the one dealing the cards.

“Thus, the largest shareholder in our company is now Renee Rogers. Effective immediately- “

Renee stood up and gestured for the man Steve did not recognise to sit down, “Now, I’m sure all of you are aware of the situation we are in. It is a difficult one, but not without a solution. We will be running Sterling West and this company concurrently but separately. Nothing will change despite the circumstances. I’ll be leaving my grandson, Steven, in charge. I know Steven has been doing a brilliant job thus far, looking at how Astermont has become the most successful company dealing with real-estate in America and even merging with Barnes Enterprise. I have no doubt that together, it will only be a matter of time before we usher in a new legacy in both Astermont and Sterling West.”

Murmurs filled the room as Steve continued to stay silent. Renee was practically gloating the upper hand she had over him. With her controlling most of the shares, despite being in power, he was nothing more than a puppet she could pull the strings on. Any decision he made would not be made alone and this did not sit well with him. He’d always have his grandmother hanging over him like a curse and this was going to be the start of his life as part of Joseph’s family.

When the meeting was finally adjourned, Steve didn’t move from his seat as the others filed out of the room. Renee didn’t stop to talk to him but her laughter rang in his ears like the aftermath of an explosion.

He hated it.

Sam sat down next to him and Steve let out a sigh, running his hands through his hair as he pulled his tie loose.

“I’m so sorry, Steve,” Sam said quietly as he put a hand on his shoulder. “I couldn’t tell you, otherwise they’d have cut me off too. I can’t help you if I’m not in the company.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Steve sighed. He laughed, self-deprecatingly, “Imagine being the CEO and not even knowing that you’re being removed from power.”

“Steve, it’s not your fault. Nobody knew what Renee was doing behind our backs. I didn’t even know until yesterday when they’d called the meeting. She kept you in the dark and it’s not your fault.”

“How many of them sold us out?”

“Ten,” Sam replied, “The major shareholders never intended to sell but others did and somehow Renee managed to buyout fifty-one percent of all the shares.”

“I only hold thirty percent, even if I bought out all the other shareholders, it wouldn’t be enough,” Steve replied, “I have no idea how we are going to take her out.”

“You have a team of lawyers- “

“Has Renee bought them out too?” Steve asked, probing the possibility. Sam paused for a moment, “She might have.”

“Then we’re in trouble.”


	15. Natasha VIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School starts tomorrow, but I hope you enjoy this chapter! Only several more to go! x

Paris wasn’t far different from what she had imagined. She had envisioned picturesque streets and cosy cafes hidden in alleyways; so far, her expectations had been met. As soon as she had stepped off the plane, Natasha had been whisked off to an upscaled neighbourhood she’d only seen in pictures; Saint Germain-des-Prés. It had been home to famous artists and writers like Picasso and Oscar Wilde, a place that she had only dreamed of visiting once upon a time as a child.

She watched as the River Seine passed her by, leaving her in awe of everything. It wasn’t long before she was tucked away inside one of the grandest apartments she’d ever seen. Polished marble floors and an enormous chandelier decorated the foyer, it was much showier than Steve’s apartment in New York in every way. How on Earth did she end up in a place like this?

Natasha sat down on the plush sofa, feeling overwhelmed by the entire situation. She had agreed to Renee’s wishes on a whim; it had been too much being near Steve. It was lost moments trying to keep herself from thinking about him. It was a learning curve; realising that Steve wasn’t there anymore to share aspects of her life. They hadn’t been together for very long but she had been so sure that he would’ve been the one she was going to marry. Natasha almost laughed at the irony of it all. He had wanted to marry her too and now, they were both in such an awkward place. She had swallowed her fears and left him despite the fact that he had sworn nothing had gone on between him and Wanda. But was it still about that?

Nothing made sense to her anymore as she watched the world go by outside the large French doors leading towards the balcony. Steve was 3625 miles away from her and yet, he was still the only thing she could think about. Why was she so in love with a man she couldn’t have? Tugging off her boots, she curled up on the sofa, feeling lost. The last time she had felt this way was when her mother died so many years ago. Ever since then, she had promised herself she would never let anyone make her feel this way again. Now, she had made the mistake of letting herself believe that someone like Steve would ever be able to be with someone like her. Their social standings were far too different, Renee had made that crystal clear.

 _“Did you really think that dating his secretary would’ve been a good idea?” Renee asked, “Just think about it. Steve is the CEO of his own company, he’s meant to be one of us. How could he be with_ you _? My dear, please. I’m giving you a chance to start anew, to find your own dream.”_

Perhaps the real reason she had left him was merely because she was unsure of herself. Suddenly, it had less and less to do with Wanda and more to do with herself. If she had continued to stay with him, how did that leave her? What future had she expected with Steve? Was she truly just a gold digger like the tabloids suggested? She was being labelled left and right but what was she really? Of course, she loved him, not because of the car he drove or the number of zeros in his bank account. Hell, he could go bankrupt tomorrow and she’d still want him, as long as he promised that they would go through it together. Perhaps that was what their relationship had been missing. They were both so used to handling things alone that they never let anyone else in, let alone each other. Natasha shook her head, trying to clear her mind of thoughts of them. She had ended it and now it was time to focus on what she really wanted. Renee had given her the opportunity to start again, now she just had to figure out how to get back on her own two feet.

* * *

"Good morning Madam.”

It was her first day of classes and thankfully, most of her students spoke English well enough. Some of them didn’t speak a lick of the language but the others were kind enough to translate. She had been in Paris for a week now and had been given a crash course revision on ballet. It had been awhile since she had stepped into a proper pair of ballet shoes but she had never forgotten the feeling of performing. Her confidence came back to her, slowly but surely, and by the fifth day, even the most senior teacher at the academy was impressed by her dancing. She walked her students through the warm up and some exercises. It was simple enough considering she was only tutoring the junior class but it brought back a lot of memories for her. The nostalgia hit her like a freight train as she watched her students.

Class had been dismissed half an hour ago and Natasha had just emerged from the changing room to see one of her students still practicing in one of the empty studios.  It wasn’t that long ago that she had been one of them, struggling through a pirouette. She knocked on the door and Madeline turned to face her, blonde locks falling out of the previously neat bun.

“Madam! I can’t do it!”

Madeline was her youngest student, only six, but Natasha saw so much of herself in her, “Of course, you can.”

“But it’s so difficult!” Madeline complained, crossing her arms in defeat and Natasha laughed, “Madeline, believe it or not, I was once like you and I found it difficult to even complete a single turn.”

“But Madam, you dance so beautifully!”

Natasha widened her eyes, “You’ve seen me dance?”

“I came in early one time and saw you practicing in one of the rooms,” Madeline admitted sheepishly, fiddling with her tutu.

“Don’t worry Madeline, if you keep practising, I have no doubt that you will be a beautiful ballerina. After all, the master has failed more times than the beginner has ever tried. Don’t be afraid of failure, keep trying. For now, go home and get some rest. I’m sure your mother is waiting for you,” Natasha smiled, ushering Madeline out the door.

“Thank you, Madam! I won’t disappoint you!” Madeline grinned as she ran off towards the changing room.

* * *

It had been more than a week since she’d been in Paris. Since then, she hadn’t even turned on her phone in fear of what she might see. Without social media, it was much easier to avoid stirring up unwanted memories. At least, that was what she had convinced herself to think. Absence made the heart grow fonder, but she didn’t need that. She needed to forget.

Saturdays were her off days and she intended to spend it exploring the city. But first, she needed to check the weather forecast. She couldn’t Google it without turning on her phone and she didn’t have a laptop, and so, Natasha grabbed the television remote and flipped through several channels, until a particular news channel caught her eye.

 _Steve_.

His face was plastered right on the large screen, but the reporter was speaking in French and she couldn’t understand a word of it. What was going on? She quickly reached for her phone, switching it on. The messages poured in. Without bothering to read the notifications, she typed Steve’s name into the search bar.

_Joseph Roger’s son confirmed to be Steve Rogers._

_Astermont and Sterling West merger in the works?_

_Steve Rogers no longer head of Astermont?_

The headlines jumped out at her and she could barely move. When did this happen? Astermont has been taken over by Renee? She exited the browser and searched her contacts for Steve’s name. Natasha paused as she looked at his name on her screen. Instead of calling him, she decided to send him a message, only to notice that he’d already sent her a couple over the week.

_I missh youuj_

_Nat, why dud yui leacve?_

_Whdewr youjmxn cfk!?_

She didn’t know whether or to laugh or to cry. He had been drunk texting her. If she replied now, that would be it. She would be walking down a path where she’d try to be friends with her ex. Things like that never worked out besides in movies. But, despite her own objections, she found herself hesitating. She wanted to know that he was okay, that he wasn’t holed up in his office suffering the consequences of Renee’s actions. Summoning up what remained of her courage, she texted him back.

_What was that last one supposed to mean?_

Natasha nearly threw her phone after she sent the text. Almost instantly, she regretted it. It was a bad move and she jumped when the phone vibrated, indicating a message. It didn’t take twenty seconds for him to reply.

_I’m not sure._

She paused for a moment, and her phone vibrated again.

_I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to._

_That’s alright._

He called her after that.

“Steve.”

“Nat, please don’t hang up.”

“Why are you doing this, Steve?”

“Look, if you didn’t want to talk to me you wouldn’t have replied me. You would’ve blocked my number or something.”

As always, he was right. She just didn’t have the courage to do it. Deleting his number would have meant erasing his existence from her life, and as many times as her thumb had hovered over the _delete contact_ button, she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. She paused for a moment, trying to think of the real reason she had decided to contact him again.

“What’s going on with Astermont?” She asked.

His reply was plain and simple, “Renee bought out the shareholders.”

She couldn’t believe it, Renee had sunk so low as to ruin his life’s work, “What are you going to do?”

Hearing him sigh made her heart clench, “Lawyers are working on it.”

She was about to reply when she heard someone speaking to him. “Steve, I need you to come take a look at this.”

Natasha couldn’t recognise the voice but as soon as she heard the name, she knew. “Just a sec, Wanda. I’m on the phone.”

The words she had wanted to say died on her tongue. He was with her again. It had been the case in England and now, she was still the one left out in New York.

“Nat? Are you still there?"

“I’m still here,” she replied, “But I have to go. I hope you’re doing alright.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Goodbye, Steve,” she choked out as she hung up. There was nothing left to cry about. They had broken up and he didn’t belong to her anymore. But, as she held back the tears that were threatening to overflow, she wondered if he ever did.


	16. Steve VIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I just want to say, thank you all so much for your support! I've received so many lovely comments on the last chapter and it was just honestly the best thing ever. Even though I may not reply to all the comments, I just want you all to know how much I appreciate you spending a little bit of your time to leave kudos or write comments. Also, you may or may not have noticed that I've added the total number of chapters. This story is going to be ending soon, with 20 chapters in total. I have it all planned out so I hope you'll stick around to the very end and continue to give me your support! If we could get this story to 300 kudos before it ends, I'd be really really happy. Sorry for the long note, but these were the things I wanted to address. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Much love x

Two weeks. It had been two whole weeks since Renee had taken over Astermont and they had yet to discover a single flaw in her plan. Steve was growing impatient.

“Have you found anything?” He asked as he paced the meeting room floor. There had to be something that she had overlooked, some minute detail that would allow him to rid her presence from his life. Renee never did these things herself, she had an entire team,  _ his  _ team, of lawyers to cover it after all. Now, he just had to do her one better. Wanda sighed as she closed the file, “Steve, you know better than anyone that if I discover anything, you’d be the first to know.”

She had somehow convinced her superiors to let her graduate early when she had heard about his situation and the first thing he had done was fly her over to New York to work on his case. At this point, he wasn’t sure who he could trust anymore and Wanda was one of the only few he had confidence in. “You’re sure Renee didn’t leave anything out?” Steve asked again, shaking his head.

“I don’t know that for sure, considering I have to look through this-” She motioned towards the boxes of files that surrounded her, “-to be completely certain.”

Steve sighed, “Look, Wanda. I’m really sorry I got you dragged into this and I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.” She smiled, leaning back in her chair, “Steve, I’m more than happy to do this for you. Besides, I’m getting paid fifty dollars an hour. You’re just lucky you can pay.”

He chuckled and sat down beside her, “You’re crazy if you think I wouldn’t compensate you for your time.”

“Well, I appreciate it. You pay more than my internship. Working this job is doing wonders for my bank account.”

“Well, I’m glad. I need a drink,” he replied, popping the cap on the bottle of beer he’d brought in with him earlier on the corner of the glass table. Steve took a swig and Wanda chided him, “You’re going to ruin the glass.”

“I can afford to get it fixed, mum,” he retorted and felt his phone ring in his pocket. It was almost two in the morning.

“Hell-”

“Steven Grant Rogers, what the fuck is going on?”

“Bucky? Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to call you for weeks!”

“I was hiking in Nepal, couldn’t get my hands on a decent signal,” he replied, “But forget about me, what the fuck is this about Renee taking over Astermont? I saw it all over the news on the flight back.”

“She bought out the shareholders.”

“Christ. You’re kidding. How much are you holding?”

“Thirty. She’s got fifty-one.”

“Shit. What the hell happened? No, forget it. I am coming over there tomorrow. I know how to get your ass out of this mess.”

“You do?” Steve asked as he stood up. He was in utter disbelief, “Are you fucking serious?”

“Yes, don’t you worry ‘bout a thing. For now, just go home and get some sleep. I’ll be at your office tomorrow at 10 a.m. Don’t be late.”

When he hung up, Wanda looked up from her files to speak, “Who was that?”

“My best friend. He was the owner of Barnes Enterprise before the merger.”

Wanda cocked her head, looking at him, “Oh, James Barnes?”

“You’ve heard of him?”

She wrinkled her nose, “Once or twice.”

“So, the international playboy  _ does _ live up to his expectations. Alright, come on, let’s go home,” he said, gesturing towards the exit, “It’s late anyway.”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

* * *

**Wanda’s POV**

She had been wanting to ask about Natasha for quite some time now. What had happened between them? She’d read the tabloids and the news, that seemed to be all she ever did, but he had seemed so in love with her. Now, she lacked the courage because bringing her up meant that she would have to bear the pain she was so familiar with.

Steve would never treat her as anything more than a sister and she respected that, and yet, she loathed the thought of it as well. Was he honestly blind to how much she cared for him? Wanda had been willing to drop everything in a heartbeat and flown out first thing to help him. Yet, how could someone be so oblivious to her intentions?

She wanted him to feel the way she did.

As they got into his car and he brought the engine to life, she couldn’t help but watch his every move. He was different from the Steve she’d used to know back then. She remembered the days they’d spend beside the river, by the old willow tree, just laughing and talking. Now, those carefree days were over. He’d left and gone back to New York, each taking their own separate paths. She had tried endlessly to convince her parents to send her to New York to study, if not just to have Steve in her life again.

It was foolish of her, she knew it, but she couldn’t help herself. She was so hopelessly in love with him.

Looking at him now, he wasn’t much older than her, but it seemed that the city had worn him down to the bones. He no longer smiled as much, his eyebrows always creased in concentration or frustration; she could hardly tell anymore. New York had turned him into a stranger in her eyes, but in her heart, when he spoke with her, she knew that he was still the boy she’d known so many years ago. Ambitious and kind, Steve was still Steve.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked, turning slightly to flash her a smile. The shadows danced across his features, the city still brimming with life in the early morning.

“I’m just thinking about how much has changed. We’re not kids anymore.”

He chuckled, his eyes on the road, “We stopped being kids years ago, silly.”

_ Did we ever truly? _

She hummed her response, leaning back against her seat. He reached over to ruffle her hair as they pulled over at a red light, “What’s wrong?”

He was always playing the role of the older brother, even when he was the one facing problems. Steve had always put her well-being first and sometimes it was the most horrible feeling in the world. She felt like yelling at him. Why was he worried about her when he clearly had more to worry about?

“Did you ever miss those days? Back then, when we were kids?”

Steve paused for a moment and he looked away, a hard expression on his face, “Of course, I do. There’ve been so many times where I just wished things didn’t have to be this way.”

She felt the lump in her throat grow and words she was so adept with seemed to fail her when she needed it most. Steve offered her a comforting smile, “You have that look on your face again.”

“What look?”

“The one where you look like you’re thinking too hard. It may be several years late, but we’re still here together aren’t we?”

She forced a smile, trying to think of the correct words to say to lighten the mood.

“I’m hungry. Fancy a run to McDonald’s?”

Steve laughed, shrugging, “Why not?”

* * *

“Steven!”

Steve stifled back a grin. It was more often than not that he heard Bucky much longer before he actually saw him and today was no different, despite the fact that they were here to talk business. Wanda looked up from her files and cast him a look. He shrugged as Bucky waltzed into the meeting room, wearing khaki shorts and flip-flops, his eyes hidden behind a pair of large sunglasses.

  
“You’re dressed like you’re about to visit Coney Island,” Steve snorted, shaking his head at his best friend’s antics. “It’s like a hundred degrees out, why are  _ you _ wearing a suit?” Bucky shot back, pulling his sunglasses on the top of his head, “Besides, I rolled up here in a Porsche. Who’s to say I can’t dress this way?”

“Ugh.”   


Wanda clearly had a disliking for this guy already. Steve stood up, placing the reports he’d been reading on the table, “Because some people have to work. Bucky, this is Wanda. Wanda, Bucky.”

Bucky immediately grabbed him by the sleeve, dragging him towards the corner of the room before practically hissing at him, “Damn it, Steven. You’re really out here having fun by yourself?”

“It’s not like that! She’s one of my childhood friends, and she’s like a sister to me. She’s also my lawyer.”

Bucky smacked him on the head, “That’s what they all say until they end up sleeping in each other’s bed! This isn’t Game of Thrones!”

“You know I can hear you,” Wanda muttered and Steve straightened up, punching Bucky’s arm. He cleared his throat and shot Bucky a glare, “Let’s just get back to business.”

“Right,” Bucky replied, settling down at the head of the glass table, “So, remember when I got you to sign the contract for the merger?”

“Yes, and even though you were adamant that I trust you, I had my lawyers look into it.”

“Looks like they missed out a small detail,” Bucky shrugged, “Hey Wanda, could you go through the file for the merger? You might find something really interesting.”

Steve sat quietly in his seat, wondering what the hell Bucky was trying to pull as Wanda sifted through the boxes for the particular file. He watched as Wanda looked through it.

“James Buchanan Barnes owns thirty percent of shares of Astermont after the merger regardless of change of ownership in the future?”

“What the fuck?” Steve cursed, “Why the hell didn’t I know about this?”

“I put it in extra small print,” Bucky shrugged, “Don’t be mad at me, Rogers. It was just a precaution.”

“You did it behind my back, Buck. How could you? You know I would have agreed to it if you had just talked to me about it.”

Steve didn’t know what to think. Who could he even trust anymore?

Bucky stood up, shaking his head, “Because I knew something like this would happen. There was no way Renee would’ve left you alone, Steve. You know that better than anyone. You just didn’t want to believe it because you thought it would go away. I’ve known you for the longest time. Don’t you think I know you a little better than you’d like to believe? I watched you set up this company and the things you have done, how much you have sacrificed, to bring it up to where you are today. I’m not about to let someone like Renee ruin your life.”

“I wasn’t trying to de-”

“Stop denying it!” Bucky yelled, “I’m not going to let you walk headfirst into this alone. That was the only reason I put in that clause. I paid your lawyers and your accountants to make sure you never found out because I knew one day you were going to need this. So, just let me help you. You can hate me later.”

Steve buried his face in his hands. He couldn’t believe that he was lucky enough to have a brother like James Barnes, “I don’t know if I want to punch you or thank you.”

“Why not both?” Bucky grinned as Steve got up to hug him.

“You’re one crazy bastard, Barnes.”

“I could say the same for you, Rogers,” Bucky replied as he pulled away, “But, I’ll take that as a compliment. Because this crazy bastard just saved your ass from a lifetime of misery.” He turned to Wanda who was just sat there, watching their ridiculous exchange, “So, Ms Pretty Eyes, could you draft out a contract for me to sign over my shares to this idiot over here so he can get his company back?”

Wanda just rolled her eyes and pulled out her MacBook. Bucky grinned, “I think she likes me.”

“You know, I’d sue you today if you weren’t helping Steve,” Wanda called out, never once looking up from where she was busy typing away.

“I like her already,” Bucky laughed. Steve shook his head, he couldn’t believe it. Things were finally starting to look up again.


	17. Natasha IX

Moving out was hardly as horrible as people would suggest, although it certainly helped that most of the things in her apartment didn’t belong to her. After saving every penny she’d been earning, she was finally able to afford the deposit and first-month rent to a smaller apartment that was close to the school. She was more than ready to move out of Renee’s place. Natasha had spent several weeks wondering if she was going to get kicked out but it had been radio silence from Steve’s grandmother so far. That was something she could definitely get used to. The Rogers’ family was far more complicated than she’d ever been used to; perhaps being rich beyond their wildest dreams did have more than a few consequences.

Her job was going well and she had already been promoted to being a full-time teacher. Her students, Madeline especially, was flourishing under her guidance. Her superiors certainly noticed the improvement and suddenly, Natasha was one of the most sought-after teachers in the school. It was unlikely that she would ever return to New York unless given reason to. Renee had stopped contacting her entirely after Steve had gotten his company back. She had followed it all on the news, despite having not talked to the person in question over the last couple of weeks. She had changed her number and deleted any trace of herself on the internet, not that there was much to get rid of. It was time for a fresh start and she needed a clean slate to begin with.

Starting a journal was one of the best things she had ever done. She had written page after page of entries; most of them were about her day, or occasionally about other things. It had taken some time, or rather, quite a bit of time, but she had decided that it was time to think about what _she_ wanted. Natasha had spent most of her life working and chasing someone else's ideals. She had tried to be a good daughter, a good student, a good employee, a good girlfriend, and everything she had ever done was trying to be good for someone else.

Now, she didn’t do that anymore. It was difficult adapting and learning to say no to simple things, but she was trying and so far, she was so much happier compared to before. It was a learning process but not impossible.

Nowadays, she spent more time doing things  _she_ wanted to do. She read more books and improved her French. There weren’t any expectations of who she had to be or what she had to do; she was simply on her own and it felt so freeing.

* * *

It had been almost a year since she had last seen Clint Barton. Laura had decided to return to France to be closer with her family and Clint had quit his job at Astermont, leaving her to despair over the loss of not just one but two people so very close to her heart. It wasn’t until yesterday that she had found out he was living here, in Paris. She’d heard someone mentioning his name at the school and had promptly tracked him down, practically annoying the lady until she’d given Natasha his number.

She was meeting him at one of the cafes near the River Seine and she actually felt _nervous._ She hadn’t seen him in so long. Would they have awkward silence replace what was once easy conversation? Her fears were soon assuaged because she heard the doorbell chime and as soon as he walked in, his eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning.

“Nat? Is that really you?” He asked, in shock, as she stood up to greet him. She grinned, “Hi, Barton. It’s been a long time.”

Clint pulled her into his arms and suddenly, the fear was replaced by the calming effect he’d always had on her. As he sat down opposite her and placed his order, she took in his appearance. He was still the same as ever, with the same haircut and he was still wearing the leather jacket he’d bought with her when they were visiting one of those flea markets around Brooklyn so many years ago.

“So, how have you been? God, it’s been so long since I last saw you. Look at you, you’re _old_.”

She shook her head, laughing a little, “We’re the same age, you dickhead.”

“I know, but you definitely look older than I do,” he smirked, reaching over to ruffle her hair, “What brings you to Paris?”

The waitress reappeared and placed down the cups in front of them. Natasha took a sip of her coffee, relishing in the warmth of it before replying, “I live here.”

“You do?” He asked in disbelief, “Since when?”

_Since I broke up with Steve._

“Since a couple of months ago.”

“No way, and you never told me?”

She rolled her eyes, “The only reason I knew you were here was because the parent of one of my students at the Paris Opera was talking about you.”

“The Paris _Opera_ ? Nat, you’re a ballet _teacher_?”

“Stop staring at me like that, you look like a goldfish.”

He leaned back in his chair, “I just, can’t believe it. I thought you gave up dancing after… _You know_.”

“It’s kind of a complicated situation,” she sighed, shrugging, “I don’t know what I’m doing here. Enough about me, though. It’s a depressing sap story, anyway. What about you? I thought Laura would be doing the wedding here, in France, instead and you were moving the date to like next year. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you tied the knot _or_ invite me to your wedding!”

“I didn’t even tell my mum,” he snorted, “Laura and I got married in Las Vegas.”

“Las Vegas? You got hitched in one of those shady chapels with popsicle rings where the priest was dressed like Elvis? You’re kidding.”

She couldn’t stop laughing when she thought about it. Clint, drunk and probably crying, getting married in Las Vegas. It was a story for the ages. Laura would’ve never consented to something like that sober. She had been so excited to plan the wedding, Natasha had even helped her pick out the dress, “What the hell happened?”

“I swear to God, I don’t remember half of it,” he mumbled, “We were at our old classmate’s wedding and I was there as the best man, her as one of the bridesmaids. A couple of drinks in and next morning we wake up married. It wasn’t even a popsicle ring, she was wearing a fourteen thousand dollar Tiffany.”

“And I thought my life was fucked up,” she grinned, “You’re still married, though.”

Clint shrugged, a grin on his face, “I’m telling you, my mum was _not_ happy.”

“Me neither, I can’t believe you two eloped and you didn’t even tell me.”

“I tried calling you for an entire week! First, your phone was off then the number was disconnected.”

“Shit. I didn’t tell you? I’m so sorry. I was caught in a little bit of a mess. Here, give me your phone, I’ll ring you.”

Natasha gave him her new number and he sighed, “I swear, Nat, what the hell happened to you?”

“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you. One day.”

“I can’t believe you’re hiding things from your best friend.”

“My _best friend_ got _married_ and didn’t even invite me.”

“I was drunk!” He replied defensively, “I couldn’t even pull my pants on right!”

Natasha shook her head, laughing, “Fair enough.”

“We’re still having the reception though in half a year. So, don’t you dare go missing on me,” he warned, crossing his arms.

“Cross my heart,” she grinned. “You know, it was amazing my card actually went through,” he replied, looking deep in thought and she snorted, “You’re thinking about that _now_? Really?”

“I’m just surprised,” he said, “I was pretty much broke at that point what with the move and all.”

She laughed, smiling widely as she looked at her best friend. Things hadn’t changed at all. The easy conversation they had carried ages ago still flowed as smoothly. It felt good to laugh so openly, without second-guessing. It was much more difficult to be happy in New York.

 _Steve_.

He was still there, of course. The last she had heard of him was on her television screen two days ago. The news anchor had been talking about the lawsuit he had filed against Renee and everyone in the corporate world was hanging onto every word and every move. It turned out that James had a part to play in all this, she had expected nothing less from him. He had helped Steve get Astermont back and she had no doubt that Steve was so grateful to him. She hadn’t spoken to James at all since she’d left. It made her feel guilty, but she had no way of contacting him. At the very least, the only consolation prize she had was that she’d never be able to accidentally drunk dial Steve. That would’ve been awkward. Every once in awhile though, thoughts of him would always cross her mind. What was he doing? Did he still spend nights at the office? Did he ever sleep at all? There were always times where she would see something; a photo frame, a cute dog, and suddenly, the first person she wanted to share all those things with wasn’t there anymore. Natasha was still adjusting to that fact. It was difficult to be alone when every aspect of her life had been shared with someone else not too long ago.

They spent the rest of the day talking the hours away and laughing until their sides hurt. As Clint walked her back to her apartment, they stopped by the River Seine and sat down by the banks, enjoying the balmy, summer evening. The twilight sky was filled with a kaleidoscope of colours and Natasha let out a quiet laugh as she watched the sky change colours. Clint turned to her, a quizzical smile on his face, “What is it?”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She grinned, hands outstretched behind her as she tilted her gaze towards the sky. “It matches your hair,” he shrugged, laughing.

“I could do anything I want to do and there’s nobody to stop me,” Natasha sighed. It felt like she was at the top of the world.

“Nat, you’re one of the most amazing people I know. Even if you wanted to be a porn star, I’d support you,” Clint chuckled, shooting her a wink.

She looked at him seriously, trying not to laugh as she said: “Only if you direct.”

The two of them burst out laughing, garnering some stares from passer-bys, “We’re idiots,” he sighed, wiping the tears from his eyes. “You mean _you’re_ an idiot,” she replied as she pulled off her heels.

“Come on, let’s get you home before I push you in,” he sighed, “I can’t believe I’m friends with someone like you.”

“What is _that_ supposed to mean?”

They hadn’t made it ten feet before the both of them ended up in the water, cursing at each other like kids and crying with laughter. Suddenly, everything that mattered before this, didn’t anymore. She was finally free.


	18. Steve IX

“Well, aren’t you early?” Wanda greeted as he turned around to face her. He smiled, shrugging off his jacket as he tossed it on to the table and took a seat in his office. It had become somewhat a gathering spot for both him and Wanda, what with the sleepless nights being spent in it trying to think of a loophole to get him out of the mess with Renee. Steve was glad to say that it had been several months since they had last seen or heard from his grandmother and they had successfully taken Astermont back from her clutches. Everything was as it should be and he was more than grateful for that. His daily routine had become a comfortable cycle of events; providing him with a feeling of safety after the last couple of months. Mundane days were something he actually looked forward to.

“I am,” he agreed sarcastically as she sat down in the seat across his desk, a cup of coffee in one hand as she propped the other cup towards him. The warmth spreaded through his hands as soon as he got hold of it, “Thanks.”

“So, what were you thinking about?” She enquired, raising an eyebrow at him, “You’ve had that same look plastered on your face since last week.”

Steve raised an eyebrow at her as he took a sip, “What look?”

“The one you get when you’re up to no good.” Wanda said meaningfully. It was as if he was planning to take over the world with the tone of voice she was using with him. He chuckled, shaking his head as he placed his cup on the desk, “I’m up to no good?”

She rolled her eyes, “You know what I mean.”

He thought for a moment, pausing for a dramatic effect; if not only to tease her. Wanda always knew what was on his mind, even when he didn’t expect her to. Pulling out a folder from his desk drawer, he placed it in front of her, “I was thinking about expanding our business overseas.”

Steve shrugged as she put down her cup, “Where?”

“Paris,” he replied, waiting to gauge her expression as she took ahold of the project file he’d been hiding from everyone over the past two weeks. He’d discussed it with Sam, of course. As his Chief Financial Officer, he had gone through all the accounts to ensure they wouldn’t be biting off more than they could chew. Once he’d given the OK, Steve had immediately started contacting some of the biggest real estate developers in Paris. It was a beautiful city and he had no doubt that their investment would be returned several fold.

“London not good enough for you?” Wanda asked in passing. Steve knew she was teasing after everything that they’d already gone through. She knew perfectly why he was putting Paris as a priority and not London. Sterling West was based in the UK and Steve had made it perfectly clear in court that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with Joseph’s side of the family. Luckily for him, they had granted him release of the shares and they were returned to Renee. Perhaps it was not what Joseph would have wanted, but his father was gone and the only thing keeping his grandmother at bay was himself.

After everything, Wanda had decided to stay in New York after he had offered her a job as an in-house lawyer for Astermont and Bucky was more than happy about that. He had taken a liking to Wanda already, although all his advances had been rejected thus far.

“Looks like you’re finally ready to bring Astermont to the next level,” Wanda said, “This proposal is immaculate. Although, I expected nothing less from the CEO himself.”

Steve shrugged, “I spent a long time on that. You think the Board of Directors will agree?”

“You’ve planned everything down to the last decimal, I doubt they would be able to find a reason to say no,” Wanda reasoned, shutting the file she’d been reading through.

He was more than ready to expand their business to dealing directly with the developers themselves. He doubted that the Board of Directors would say no, especially after they’d recently acquired Philip Johnson as one of the most valuable investors of Astermont. After the news of them winning Astermont back broke, it made the headlines on every newspaper in the States and the UK. Philip had been impressed, considering he disliked Renee from the bottom of his heart, and Bucky had used that chance to convince Philip to take a chance on Steve’s company. He had gladly agreed and now they were the biggest in real estate in New York after the merger with Barnes Enterprise and their business was second to none; Astermont delivered every time.

“Do _you_ think it’s a good idea?” Steve replied, loosening his tie as he leaned back in his seat, “Be honest with me.”

“Of course, it’s a good idea. It’s just going to be a lot of paperwork for _me_ ,” she sighed dramatically as she finished off the rest of her coffee.

“You’re not the only lawyer in this company, you know,” he mused. Wanda was always taking on the workload by herself despite having her own assistant and two other in-house lawyers who worked under her. “Oh, just let me be dramatic,” she murmured, shaking her head, “You’re ruining my mojo.”

“Hilarious,” he chuckled, “So, I take it as a green light from the legal perspective?”

“You got it, boss,” she replied, giving him a mock salute, “Just give me some time to go through the rest of the documents but I believe this decision certainly won’t drive you to bankruptcy. In fact, you might even be richer by the end of it.”

“That’s the plan,” he said seriously, “I want Astermont to be the largest real-estate business in the world.”

Wanda only shook her head and he just laughed, “I can dream, can’t I?”

She rolled her eyes at his comment, “You were never one for dreaming.”

* * *

  **Wanda's POV**

James had been pestering her for the past three days and it was starting to get on her nerves. She’d been at the gym when he’d called and when she’d promptly asked him how her number had fallen into his hands, he only replied that he had asked Steve’s secretary. Steve seemed to be enjoying their shenanigans and did absolutely nothing to stop James besides reprimanding him occasionally for bothering the both of them when they were clearly busy trying to close the Paris deal. In fact, she was typing up the contract when he’d come into the meeting room where she and Steve were, carrying a tray of coffee.

“Hello, my corporate workers. Here is a reward for working so hard.”

Steve chuckled, “This is very unlike you.” Bucky put the tray he’d been carrying on to the table before grabbing a cushion to throw at him, “I’m a giver, Rogers.”

“You’re just here to see Wanda, aren’t you?” Steve shot back, shaking his head, “Leave the poor girl alone, she’s clearly not interested.”

Wanda only shook her head and accepted the coffee with a muttered thanks before continuing to type up the rest of the document. Bucky sighed loudly, “It’s because I’m ugly, isn’t it?”

Steve laughed, throwing the cushion back at him, “Christ, Bucky, you’re desperate as hell, aren’t you?”

“She’s pretty!”

Wanda quickly turned her gaze back towards her computer screen. Suddenly, she was thankful she’d worn a darker shade of blusher today. Pushing her hair out of her face, she tried to focus on what she was doing. What on Earth was wrong with her?

“You really don’t want to go with him?” Steve asked, chuckling. Without looking up, she muttered her response, “I barely know him.”

“I mean, that’s the point of a date right?” James chipped in. “Leave her alone, Buck. Haven’t you annoyed her for long enough? She’s clearly not interested. Go try your luck elsewhere.”

James drew in a long, dramatic sigh, “Fine. But we can be friends right?” He asked as he held his hand out towards her. She comprehended the moment for a second or two before reaching out cautiously to shake his hand, “Of course.”

“Great,” he grinned, looking happier than someone who’d just been told that they’d won the lottery, “But, I won’t give up so easily.”

It was hard not to stare as James left the room, humming happily to himself.

* * *

It had been months since she’d first moved to New York but she was still crashing at Steve’s apartment. He had insisted she make herself comfortable and stay for as long as she wanted; the place was too big for just one person, after all. If she was being completely honest, she was over the moon at the prospect. It was very much to her like divine intervention was taking place and giving her a chance to get closer to Steve. Although, she wasn’t ready to get her hopes up just yet. She’d loved him for years and never said a word, what would their living arrangements change? She hadn’t gotten her driver’s license converted yet and Steve had basically been her designated driver to and from work. Wanda had insisted time and time again that whenever she was working late, he didn’t have to wait for her, but he just wasn’t having any of it. He’d said something about how they were both heading home anyway so he could wait. Sometimes those late nights turned into all-nighters but he’d never complained. They had left work early and as they made their way towards the elevator that would take them up to his floor, he spoke up.

“Are you happy here?”

She turned her gaze from the steel doors, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, is this how you wanted your life to turn out?” He asked, turning to look at her with those gorgeous baby blues of his. She was such a sucker for those eyes. “What else could I have wanted? I’ve got my best friend, a good job and free rent,” she smiled, nudging him with her elbow. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips as he turned away. She could tell something was bothering him but decided not to pry. He would come to her when he needed to. They reached their floor and they parted ways once he unlocked the door, leaving each to gather their thoughts.

She ran into Steve again later that night, he was sitting in the dark of the living room, his eyebrows furrowed in thought, the city lights filtering in through the sheer curtains. Wanda hauled the soft blanket around her shoulders as she padded across the lush carpeting, quietly contemplating what she should say. Instead, she made her way towards the kitchen and filled two glasses of water before settling down next to him. If he didn’t notice her before, he certainly did now. She handed the glass to him and he murmured a quiet thanks before taking a sip.

“The dates have been set,” Steve smiled softly, running a hand through his hair as he turned his gaze away again. Just had a conference call with Paris this afternoon. ying to Paris next week to seal the deal on their end,” he said finally as she nodded.

"Is that why you’re worried? That it isn’t going to go through?” Steve shook his head as he placed the glass onto the coffee table, the sound of glass on glass echoing quietly through the room, “No. I’m fairly certain we’re settled on that end.”

“Then, what’s got you looking like you’ve just lost a deal?” Wanda asked. “I’ve just got a nagging feeling about going to Paris. It’s probably nothing but I just can’t get it off my mind.”

Wanda thought for a moment, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m alright. Probably just worked up over nothing.”

She paused for a moment before glancing towards the clock that hung above the television. It was fifteen minutes to nine. A smile broke out on her face as she realised the idea came to mind. She knew just the thing to clear his mind and they would make it before the place closed.

* * *

Wanda always had a knack for crazy ideas; that much Steve knew. She was always ready to do the most daring and adrenaline-inducing things, but he’d certainly never expected her to bring him to a swing club. He immediately felt out of place when they walked in to see ladies and gents old enough to be his great-grandparents having what looked like the best time of their lives. Steve almost burst out laughing at the prospect, only Wanda would think of something like this.

“ _This_ was what you decided we should do on a Thursday night?” He chuckled, an amused smile plastered on his face as they weaved through the crowded dance floor and towards one of the tables. The interior looked like something straight out of the 1940s. It was all glitz and glamour before the Second World War after all. He probably wouldn't admit it but the music and atmosphere was enough to make anyone feel like dancing.

“You always did like the good old days,” she pointed out, smirking, “Must be in direct correlation with your age.”

He snorted, crossing his arms as they took a table by the corner of the room, “Life support doesn’t exactly cover this does it?”

Wanda laughed, “Come on old man, less talking, more dancing.”

“You’re kidding,” he replied in disbelief. He didn’t think that she’d actually go through with the idea.

A couple of the ladies were giggling like schoolgirls in the corner of the room with their eyes trained on him as he sighed, both mortified and vaguely amused. “Why don’t you go chat them up? They seem pretty interested,” Wanda laughed, nudging him as he shook his head, “Hilarious.”

“Oh, loosen up. You know I’m just pulling your leg, ” she shrugged before making her way back towards the dance floor. He hesitated for a moment before he decided against his better judgement and went scrambling after her with a groan.

And it honestly wasn’t very long before they were having as much fun as the seniors. Wanda was a hit with the older men; that Steve had no doubt about as he shot her looks from across the room. She only returned his suggestive glances with a dirty look. But, whatever it was, the nagging feeling was the last thing on his mind. He was too busy trying to dodge flirtatious glances and laughing to think about it. When the two of them were finally tired out, he’d already learned a couple of dance moves that probably wouldn’t fit into the 21st century too well. Wanda had just wandered off to order some drinks when a lady, her name tag said Lily, sat down at the table next to them.

“It isn’t often we see anyone younger than fifty walk through that door,” she laughed, a genuine smile on her face.

“Well, Ma’am, tonight has been a lot of fun,” he replied honestly. He hadn’t had this much fun since Natasha had decided to take him to a frat party one of her friends had been hosting. Lily grinned, “We love making new friends, my husband and I. Please, call me Lily.”

She pointed towards a man who was looking dapper in a grey suit, “That’s Fred. I’ve been coming here every Thursday with my husband for the past ten years; everyone here practically family by now. I guess you could say we’re one of the lucky ones.”

“Absolutely,” he nodded in agreement, “It’s lovely to meet you, Lily. I’m Steve. How long have you been married for?”

“Pleasure is all mine. We’ll be married forty-six years next month,” Lily replied proudly, “It’s been a ridiculously long time.”

She was right. But, then again, perhaps forty-six years went by in a blink of an eye when you loved someone that much. He’d never imagined being married until he’d met Natasha; the prospect hadn’t even crossed his mind. He was too busy trying to dominate the corporate world. But that was all in the past now. She’d stepped into his life and it was a fleeting moment; she’d left before she’d even truly entered. The dreams of the house with the white picket fence and travelling the world were left to sit on the backburner; now, he’d only his empire to care for.

"You two make a lovely couple,” Lily commented and Steve paused, trying to comprehend her words before he began to interrupt, “She’s not my-”

“Well, what are you waiting for?” She asked, not meaning to pry. He didn’t know how to respond. Had he ever treated Wanda as anything more than a sister?

“It’s not like that, she’s like a sister to me.”

“Men,” she muttered, shaking her head with a soft smile, “Couldn’t tell if a horse was placed right in front of you.”

He tried not to think about what she was trying to imply as Wanda came by, drinks in hand. It looked like she’d gotten pulled into dancing halfway before returning, with her cheeks flushed red and a smile plastered on her face.

“Hey, I got the -” She paused before realising, “I’m sorry, have I interrupted your conversation?”

“No, darling. It’s completely fine. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Lily.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lily. I’m Wanda,” his best friend smiled happily. “We were just talking about you,” Lily replied with a casual smile. “Oh, only good things I hope?” Wanda grinned. Steve chuckled, “Maybe not.”

“You’re terrible,” Wanda gasped, feigning shock, “To think I brought you all the way here.”

“It’s clear to me that you two are very close,” Lily replied, laughing a little, “I’ve three boys of my own but I haven’t seen this much excitement in awhile. They’re all grown up now so it gets quite lonely in the house. That’s why we come here often, my husband and I. Do come join in on the fun every now and then, won’t you?”

Wanda replied before he could, a large grin on her face, “We’d be more than happy to."

* * *

 Paris. The city of love.

It was a land of opportunities as Steve saw it. With the reputation that Paris held, it was no surprise everyone was vying for a piece of property here. He hadn’t been to Paris in a long time and his French was fairly rusty but in the week that he was staying, it was plenty of time to get reacquainted with the city he himself had loved not too long ago. The flight went by fairly quickly as he went over some of the documents with the rest of his team for the final time before the meeting later in the evening. As soon as the plane landed, his entourage was shuffled to black Range Rovers that took them to one of the most expensive hotels in Paris, the Mandarin Oriental. Their hosts in Paris were nothing short of generous after all.

Steve would be signing a partnership with one of the largest developers in Paris, _Reign_ , with the intentions of using them to surpass their biggest competitors in the French market in the near future. He’d taken the gamble to contact them and it was a wonder they had been willing to sign them in at all, but with Astermont being a household name in the States, there was no doubt that buyers would prefer to deal in English rather than to hire a translator. The purchasing itself was already a big enough risk. Besides, it only meant a bigger paycheck to their Parisian counterparts.

It was simply an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Wanda was here with him, of course. She had done European Law in Cambridge, which only served to speed up the process of their dealings considerably. Her French was far superior to his, something which would sore his ego to admit, had she not been a Cambridge graduate.

Tonight, there would be a meeting with the head of Reign, Jacob Devereaux but for now, they were having some time off to themselves. Wanda was preoccupied with catching up on some overdue proposals so he was left to wander around the town for abit. Paris had always been a charming place, with cobblestone streets and hidden cafes on every corner. He’d spent a couple of weeks in Paris when he was much younger, while Astermont was still taking its baby steps into the world. Bucky had brought him here on a conference and he had fallen under Paris’ spell almost immediately. From living from paycheck to paycheck to expanding his empire to one of the biggest cities in the world, he’d certainly come a long way.

It would be several more hours to his meeting, so he got one of the hired chauffeurs to take him on a drive, just to see how much things had changed since he’d last visited. After all, if he was to try to be one of the best internationally, he would have to know the place much better than he did now. They were only just driving past the River Seine when he thought he saw the familiar fiery red hair he hadn’t seen in so long. But when he’d turned around to get a better look, she was nowhere to be found.

It couldn’t be, _could_ it?

Perhaps he was hallucinating. What would Natasha be doing here, of all the places in the world? Why here? Most importantly, why now? Questions ran through his mind as they pulled over at a red light. What were the chances that she would be here, at this very moment, in the same place as he? The probability was supposed to be too low for him to even consider.

So, why did the nagging feeling he’d felt back in New York return?

Shaking his head, he wondered if it was the exhaustion starting to catch up with him. Plenty of people had red hair didn’t they? But, it couldn't help cross his mind that it was that exact shade of gorgeous deep red that she wore so well. He’d never seen it quite like that on anybody else.

Natasha was long gone from his life, she had decided that the day she said they would be better apart, after all. That certainly did nothing to prepare him for that glimpse of familiarity he’d just seen. He still loved her, and there was not a single doubt in his mind that he always would but he feared as much as any other guy that she would’ve moved on. It had been several months after all and her absence was enough to help him carry on his life without her but he’d not completely forgotten about her.

Perhaps he would see her again, he had a feeling that he would.

* * *

After getting back to the hotel to freshen up, Steve decided to tell Bucky what he’d seen and he was hardly surprised when he’d learned that Bucky had hopped onto the next flight to Paris within the next couple of hours. His best friend missed Natasha a lot, especially after everything that happened.

_“Are you sure you saw her?” Bucky asked anxiously as he ran a hand through his hair._

_Steve sighed as he tightened his tie, nodding, “I told you, I just saw the red hair in the corner of my eye. But, when I turned to get a better look, she was nowhere to be found.”_

_“It has to be her. I’ve been searching for months. I can’t believe I didn’t think to look for her there,” Bucky said, shaking his head, “I’m going to kill her when I find her.”_

As Steve remembered the conversation, it was becoming more and more ridiculous as he thought about it. Perhaps the chances of seeing her again was slim. She’d cut off everything from him for a reason. But, either way, Bucky would be in the country by tomorrow and Steve had no doubt that he would be stalking the streets of Paris looking for her.

Taking a glance at his watch, it was a quarter to six. Everything else would have to wait as he entered the elevator that would take him to the lobby. Everyone else was already there, dressed to the nines in their suits and ties. They had just sat down by the seating area when Wanda tapped him casually on the shoulder to signal that Jacob Devereaux had arrived. He was a very handsome man, with a head of dark brown hair and green eyes that resembled the forest somewhat. Standing up, Steve straightened his suit jacket and smiled.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr Devereaux.”

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone loves kudos and comments :)


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